Reflections of Truth
by Elizabeth Athineu
Summary: Miruna Valerious lives in a constant state of wonder and fear. When word is sent to her father of need for aide in the dark regions of Transylvania, Miruna jumps at the opportuniy, but what is about to jump back at her will reveal more than truth....
1. The Calling

**Reflections of Truth**

Miruna Valerious lives in a constant state of wonder and fear. When word is sent to her father of need for aide in the dark regions of Transylvania, Miruna jumps at the opportuniy, but what is about to jump back at her will reveal more than simply her tortured past.

Chapter 1: The Calling

Miruna awoke in a cold sweat, shaking violently. She shouted in instinctive terror, but then quickly tried to quiet herself. She looked around to make sure none of the demons in that lurked in her nightmares followed her. The room seemed to be clear of any nastiness from the previous moments. She sighed and looked around again, taking inventory of the safety that gave her minimal comfort in her waking hours. Her large four-post bed was covered by a thick canopy. At the foot was a large oak trunk filled with odds and ends from her secret travels into town. By the window was a writing desk and opposite that side of the large room was her vanity set and beauraeu of drawers. A nightstand beside the bed held a large candleabra and tall glass of water. She climbed out of the bed slowly and over to her large wardrobe. She pulled on a simple dress and a pair of slippers. Rain pounded against both the window panes and the dark Romanian sky. She pulled back her dark hair and ran a brush through it before leaving the room. She stepped silently out into the hall and walked towards the stairwell. Her twin older brothers, Nicolae and Norvescu, were probably still away in the countryside surveying for their father. Miruna's father, Christobel, was governor of Bucharest and a rather important man in the unstable Dacian government that was Romania. Miruna was told that her family had lived in Transylvania in her early childhood, but she couldn't remember any of it. Even at age nineteen and having 13 years to recover from any damage to her person, Miruna couldn't recall any events before she had turned 7 here in Bucharest. She remembered bits and pieces of her mother and her life in the country while she was asleep, but only the horrible nightmares remained strong enough to recall upon awakening. She had given up talking with her father about the dreams some time ago, but the gnawing desire to confide in someone remained. Her nursemaid had been excused from service since she had come of age 2 years ago. Miruna breathed deeply and headed down the stairs.

As she entered into the large part of the foyer, she heard a knock on the front door. Before the butler could answer it, Miruna rushed forward and answered it. Before her stood a fierce looking messenger. She stared at him in disbelief. He had dark hair like hers, sharp features, icy blue eyes, thick facial hair, and appeared to be a massive muscular man. She gulped. His attire was not professional in the least. She cleared her throat and bowed politely. Her father had warned her about these 'gypsies' from the provinces. They were wild men and women without laws and guidelines to confine any infringements upon natural citizens. Still, Miruna tried to be very diplomatic in her treatment of strangers.

"May I help you?", she asked.

"This message needs to reach Prince Christobel Valerious in one hour. I will need word brought to me of his decision in this matter at that time so that I may return quickly to my Princess Anna Valerious.", the man explained as he handed her a small and very well-sealed envelope. Miruna took it quickly. Had he said Anna Valerious? How could that be possible? Her family were the only Valerious left in the world since the destruction of the Roman Empire and the Dacian Viviodes. She took the letter and carefully slipped it out of the holding sleeve. Fortunately for curious Miruna these letters were never sealed like official documents from the capital authorities, but instead they were merely a parchment slipped into a sleeve of gold-embroidered paper with the family seal. Miruna read over the words quickly.

"Dear Uncle Christobel,

I write to you in utter desperation. We are on the brink of destruction. Father has been missing for a year in his search of our nemesis. Velkan was killed by a werewolf but this past week. I find myself ruler of Vaseria, the Romani, and now the only hope of destroying the evil that has plagued our family since before even your father was born. My father, your brother, still believed that you would come back to us in our darkest hour; that time is now. Draculea grows bolder and more destructive than ever. You are the only one who knows how to undo his evil. I beg you to come and free my people, our counrty, our family. Hope lies with you, and you alone.

In faith and love,

Anna Valerious"

Miruna's eyes grew wider with each word and her heart pulsed louder with every pause inbetween them. She pushed the letter back into its sleeve and ran towards the drawing room. Her father was usually there in the mornings trying to gather a little light reading before dealing with matters of state. She threw open the double doors to the room and ran in. She raced over to the large chair that usually held her father. There he sat, sipping a hot cup of tea and reading from an enormous volume of Petrarchan Sonnetts. Miruna enthusiastically pushed the document in front of him. She looked both worried and excited as he looked up.

"Ce esti?", he asked as he began to look over it.

"It's a letter from our cousin, father!", she said excitedly. Christobel's face dropped. "Her messenger waits outside for your reply. He will be wanting to leave in an hour, I think."

"Send him on his way, this is of little importance to me.", he said quickly and tossed the paper into the fire. Miruna looked at him in horror and anger.

"Father, that was a cry for help!", she exclaimed. Christobel looked up at her inquisitively with one brow raised. "That is, it could be a cry for help. I don't know."

"Miruna, I was born in that God-forsaken region of our glorious Romania. If God remains as merciful, that spit of wasteland will soon belong to the Hungarians.", he replied. "We have no need to interfere in their squabbles for sovreignty. That was all that the letter was about."

Miruna felt furious knowing that her father had just blatantly lied to her. She frowned. "Is Draculea a Hungarian nobleman, then?", she asked. Now he looked enraged.

"Draculea is no one to you! Tell that messenger to quiet himself when in the presence of little girls while he is carrying confidential information to me!", he shouted. Miruna took a step backwards and looked back up at her father, very hurt. Miruna was only 4'11" and not nearly round enough to be formidable. Her deep hazel-jade eyes were almost whimpering after the unprovoked attack. He sighed and looked away. "I have to get to my paperwork, now. If all goes well, I might have found you a suitable husband to wed next year."

Miruna growled a little and stormed away. Christobel sighed and sat back. He had not known how to handle Tosca, his first wife fully and Miruna was even more perplexing. He gathered his thoughts and went to retire into his study for a few hours. In the meantime, Miruna packed a few things quickly and hurried out to the messenger. If her father was going to refuse aide to his own family, then she would have to take his place. The messenger finished watering the two horses that pulled the carriage he was driving. He looked at Miruna in surprise. She tried to keep aloof as she walked up to him.

"My father is unable to render aide to our cousin, but I am to be sent in his stead.", she explained. The messenger laughed and slapped his knee. Miruna frowned in anger.

"You expect me to believe that?", he laughed.

"No. I simply expect you to tell that to my cousin when she asks why I am there and father is not.", she said calmly.

"I'm not taking you! That would constitute kidnapping, it's a straight death sentence for me.", he said as he began to walk away. Miruna followed him.

"You wouldn't be killed unless you were convicted. And you wouldn't be convicted unless you confessed. And you wouldn't need to confess unless you are arrested. And you wouldn't be arrested without a direct accusation from a witness or the victim.", she stated proudly.

"Oh really? You're just going to let me wisk you off to Transylvania? Yes, the authorities will look kindly on that one.", he muttered as he began to bridle the horses and attach them to the carraige.

"Take me or I'll scream.", she threatened.

"Go ahead, what will they be able to convict me of if you simply scream?", he chided. Miruna smiled wickedly and took a deep breath.

"He's assualted me! This man's just had his way with me!", Miruna screamed as she tore at the dress she wore. The messenger's eyes bugged out of his head and he grabbed hold of her, covering her mouth. She smiled triumphantly up at him.

"You sly, lying, little vixen!", he shouted in a whisper. He smiled in admiration. "Well, I suppose if you're clever enough to do a silly thing like that, then maybe Anna can use your help after all."

Miruna smiled and took her luggage into her arms once more. The messenger helped load them onto the carraige, then lifted her up and inside the vehicle.

"Thank you. I'm sure I can do something for my cousin.", she said.

He said nothing as he got back to his position at the reigns. Miruna settled in and began compiling a list of questions for Anna. If nothing else, it would be wonderful to find more family that might be able to help her retrace her past.


	2. The Prince Shows the Way

Chapter 2: The Prince Shows the Way

The carriage arrived two days later. The secluded village seemed to be slumped over the landscape as if the buildings themselves had grown weary with age. Miruna watched the dreary villagers walk past as the carraige skidded to a halt. The driver climbed off and began unloading Miruna's luggage. She looked up at the sky and then surveyed the village itself. Very dark, very dirty, and very very unfriendly. She sighed and turned to speak with the messenger again.

"Where does Anna Valerious live?", she asked. The messenger said nothing as he climbed back onto the carriage and took the reigns. "Excuse me, where does my cousin live sir?", she asked louder.

"Castle Valerious, it's hard to miss. Down that path at the very end.", he said as he readied to leave.

"Help me get my things to it, then.", Miruna stated promptly. The messenger laughed as he snapped the reigns and sped away. "Wait a moment! You can't leave me here! What kind of messenger are you, anyway!?", she yelled after him. She grumbled and took as much as she could carry in her arms. "Running off like a coward. Can't even help a young lady. That's the last time I trust a strange man."

"Did you talk to a stranger?", a small voice said from behind her. Miruna whirled around. Standing behind her was a little boy. He couldn't have been older than seven and he looked like a younger version of the messenger. He was obviously no mere peasant here, he must have been one of the local gypsies. She sighed.

"No, he was a messenger for my cousin. Now I don't even know where to go to find her and I can't carry all of this by myself.", she whined. Miruna was brave and smart enough, but still quite a bit spoiled and obstinant from her up-bringing. She looked at the boy who smiled back brightly. Something that seemed very out of place in this village, even for a small boy.

"I can help you with both. No one knows the village better than my family. I will help carry those and show you the way if you like.", he offered blushing slightly. Miruna's eyes softened and her feeling of frustration ceased. This little boy was experiencing a large crush, but he was old enough to know better than to faun over her. She smiled back and fished a small pouch from her skirt folds. She held it out to him.

"I would be most grateful of an escort.", she replied. He beamed and waved a hand dismissively.

"I couldn't. It's only proper for a gentleman to aide a woman in need.", he said with a slight bow.

Miruna took his hand firmly and placed the pouch in it. "I insist. No skill or work should go un-rewarded.", she instructed. He nodded and placed the puch in one of his vest pockets. "Now, what is your name?"

"My name is Printz.", he said with another bow. Miruna looked at him curiously. He smiled and chuckled. "Mamika always called me her little prince, that is the only name I know in the village."

"Very well, Printz. Please lead the way.", Miruna said as she extended her hand. He picked up the largest bag and held out his arm. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was short in this instance. Miruna didn't bend down to hang off of him, instead she rested her hand atop his arm and walked beside him very ceremoniously. The villagers glanced up at her in curiosity and anger. They didn't at all match eye contact with the boy. It was almost as if he was invisible to him. The boy had typical slavic dark hair at his shoulders, fierce blue eyes, and sharp pale features. Miruna looked down at him every now and then. She gasped when she noticed that the boy had a tiny gold hoop in each ear. He must have sensed her reaction when she noticed this. He immediately looked up into her eyes.

"Noblemen who embrace their pasts, pleasant or not, are truly amazing yes?", he asked. Miruna was taken aback by such a grown-up observation from this little boy.

"Beg pardon?", she stammered. He gave a half smile and continued looking ahead. They walked down a long and winding dirt path towards an enormous fortress. The fortress had been made into a comfortable manor, but still held the architectural remnants of feudal Dacia. Miruna took in every sight and smiled happily. As they reached the door, the boy set down her bag and cleared his throat. Miruna wondered if he was catching a cough from this ghastly air. It was thick and cold, saturating lungs with all manner of unpleasant germs. She shuddered in the cold. It was late October, so Romania would be near frozen solid shortly. Thick clouds still hung ominously in the sky, but seemed to be stemming from the sky over the fortress itself. It was as if the castle produced within its stones the oppressive atmosphere that was Transylvania.

"I must go now. I have enjoyed our time together.", he said playfully with a bow. Miruna smiled and patted his shoulder.

"I thank you for your help, Printz. I will be glad to see Anna.", Miruna replied.

"Why have you come here? Did someone send for you?", he asked curiously.

"Yes. Anna needs my help in a land dispute I think. It will be over shortly.", Miruna explained. "I don't know who Draculea is, but he has me to contend with now."

The boy's eyes flashed as he gave an almost evil grin. "Yes, he does. Perhaps you will prove a more worthy adversary than any other of the Valerious.", he said in a low voice.

Miruna stared at him silently for a moment. "What has he done to the Valerious?"

He shrugged. "Matters of state, far above me.", he said. "Goodbye for now, Miruna." Miruna's eyes widened and she felt her voice catch in her throat as the boy simply disappeared into a mist and dissipated. Miruna stood stunned for a moment. How had that little noy known her name? How had he disappeared like that? Why did he seem to speak more maturely than even the messenger she had been brought with spoke? She shook her head furiously and then went to knock on the door. A butler answered the door. Miruna cleared her throat and explained her presence to the older man. He nodded politely and stepped out onto the stoop for a moment, taking two of her bags and walking inside. Miruna took the third and followed him. The manor's interior was almost as grand as the decor in the large estate they kept in Bucharest. Miruna took in the warmth of the manor, the beauty of the tapestries, the brilliance of the ornate colours and statues. The butler set her bags down in front of a staircase.

"I will bring you some tea in the drawing room, you may wait there until Princess Anna returns.", he said. Miruna nodded. She sighed and walked with him to the drawing room. She strode quietly around the room admiring all of the different artifacts from Romania's history that seemed to be in their rightful place here. She studied the paintings of the family members carefully. Some of them were familiar to her from history lessons and some weren't. She didn't notice the swift passing of time as she last herself in the room. The doors behind her suddenly burst open. She turned. There stood a magnificent woman. She had dark, cascading curls; deep brown eyes, and fierce features like the rest of the locals. Miruna was mostly impressed with the beautiful clothing that this woman wore, despite the fact that she was dressed in pants she seemed quite regal. This must have been Anna. Miruna rushed to her cousin. Anna looked terrified and happy to see her cousin, as well. The two met in a firm and thankful embrace. Miruna didn't remember meeting Anna in her life, but already she felt deeply connected to her. Anna must have felt the same. The two let go of one another as two other figures entered the room. Miruna recognized the garb of the first as being a simple friar, while the second she recognized from 'wanted' posters that her father had set out in Bucharest. She gasped.

"Van Helsing.", she whispered. He gave a half smile and walked past them. Anna patted Miruna's shoulder and then headed out of the room. Miruna hurried after her, confused. "Anna, what is going on? Why did you send for help?"

"I need your father's knowledge of Draculea's weakness.", Anna said. She frowned as they entered the armoury. "I suppose he has chosen to abandon the family once again. No matter, I don't need any other help in this."

"I beg to differ. The church sent me because your family is almost dead. I think that constitutes a need for assistance of somekind.", Van Helsing interjected.

"_I_ came here to help.", Miruna argued. "I'm family."

"Yes, but too young.", Anna said as she continued adding to her personal arsenal. "As for you, you don't know what you are doing."

"I just killed a vampire for the first time in a century.", Van argued back. "Top that."

"You killed a vampire? There's vampires? I thought they were silly superstition!", Miruna exclaimed in fear.

"I think it's fairly safe to assume from here on out that silly superstition and cold hard fact are closer than you and your cousin here in Transylvania.", the friar added.

"I can do this by myself. It is my destiny.", Anna announced as she took a pistol and began to load it.

"You can't kill a vampire with that.", Van said as she walked past him to retrieve a sword.

"No, but it will hurt him for a good few hours before I end him.", Anna said proudly.

"End who? Wait a moment!", Miruna said as she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Is Draculea a vampire?" Everyone in the room looked at one another and then laughed loudly. Anna stopped laughing instantly when she saw that her cousin was serious. She frowned and took her hand.

"Miruna, Draculea is an enemy of both our family and Romania. He is the oldest and most terrible of the nosferatu.", Anna explained. Miruna winced at hearing this. She had truly prepared herself for a political skrimmage. "Now, I must be off to destroy him once and for all."

"You really shouldn't be doing this.", Van said following her. Miruna followed behind him, while the friar stayed in the armoury studying a large map of Transylvania.

"Give me one good reason why not.", Anna said as she whirled around.

"I'll give you three; night vision, keen smell, and perfect hearing. And that's just the werewolf, that's not even touching what powers Draculea has aquired in the service of the devil.", Van replied.

"He serves the _devil_!?!", Miruna exclaimed. Van rolled his eyes and then focused on Anna.

"I said give me _one_ good _reason_, not three pertinent observations.", Anna said as she turned to walk away. Van grabbed her by the shoulder, forcing her to face him. As she glared at him, Van raised a small vial with a tiny pump and puffed a small amount of blue dust into Anna's face. Anna fell forward into his arms, unconscious. Miruna gasped.

"There, one very good reason.", Van said triumphantly. Miruna jumped onto him. Siezing his throat with both of her arms from behind him. He stood, trying to maintain his composure. "Get off me.", he growled as best he could.

"You murderer! What did you do to my cousin!?", Miruna exclaimed. Again, Van Helsing rolled his eyes. He let Anna sink to the floor and grabbed hold of the vial again. This time he simply aimed it behind him and pressed the trigger. He felt Miruna's grip loosen until she fell to the floor behind him. Miruna felt everything become warm and dark all at once. Terror instead of peace gripped her. Sleep always held something horriffic. She felt herself sinking into the realm of her nightmares once more. She saw the same two glowing eyes that had pursued her for all of her life. She screamed silently as the beast once again began to advance on her, but she found herself this time without the strength to run from it. Miruna felt her heart give one final brave thump as the beast attacked. She kept her eyes open wide. As the creature leapt forward, a flash of black flew at the monster. The figure that had just appeared attacked the beast as if it were nothing but an unruly dog. The creature howled in pain and ran away, fading from Miruna's mind for a beautiful moment. She tried to focus on the figure. She gasped. The fierce blue eyes of the little boy from the village met hers. But this was no small boy, this was a handsome nobleman of about 30 years. He was dressed in fine black military garb, long dark hair still about his shoulders, and the same gold earrings. He knelt and looked directly into her eyes. "Who are you?", she squeaked.

"I was right. You proved stronger than any of the Valerious then, you will prove most courageous now.", he said. Miruna watched as he stood and sprouted wings, morphing into a large living gargoyle. Despite his monstrous appearance, Miruna didn't feel afraid of him. Instead, she felt that she had to follow him. Anna didn't hold the answers to the family's problems and her past; he did, the prince did.


	3. The Deal With The Devil's Servant

Chapter 3: A Deal With The Devil's Servant

Miruna remained in the realm of her dreams for quite some time. She tossed and turned trying violently to free herself from the confinement of sleep. In her mind, she wandered aimlessly through a fog. It was misting through a forest much like the one she had ridden through to arrive here in Vaseria. She groaned every now and then and called out to the prince. The man did not appear again or give her any sign that he was there. Finally, Miruna saw a burning bright light up ahead. She raced towards it and collided with something. Pain gripped her as she opened her spinning eyes. She moaned and sat up as quickly as her body would allow. The room suddenly felt very cool. She was still dressed and under the covers of a large bed, but she was drenched with sweat. She felt as if there were sacks of flour attatched to every limb as she tried to move. She slowly climbed out of the bed and began to assess what had just happened. Her memory returned after a moment. Miruna felt strength return to her as well. She walked quickly out of the room and began to look for Anna and Van Helsing. A loud shout and gunshot came from the armoury downstairs. Miruna shouted and raced to follow the sounds. As she did, Van Helsing flew past her and out towards the front door.

"Stay here or else, little girl!", he warned as he dashed outside. Miruna felt shock and anger fighting for their place at the front of her mind. A moment later, Anna ran past.

"Stay here, Miruna. _I _will kill him!", Anna said.

Miruna wondered whether Anna had just now been talking about Draculea or Van Helsing, she seemed to have reason to be furious with either. Miruna thought for a moment about what to do next. She had come quite a long way to simply stay behind and not do anything, but then again she was also set completely off at the thought of facing a vampire. Resolve strengthened within her. She had to go and help. According to the letter and what she had heard both Anna and Van Helsing say, the Valerious family had suffered a great evil at the hands of the monster Draculea. She could not just sit back and let more of this continue. She raced out the doors and tried to determine which direction her cousin had set off in. She noticed a set of several different footprints, each leading in a different direction. She saw that all of them seemed to lead in the same general area; out into the village itself. Miruna breathed deeply into the freezing night air and began to head after her cousin and the hunter. The night was extremely cold and very dark. It was like every setting in her nightmares had stemmed from a typical night here. She felt more than just cold shivering through her. There was much to be afraid of at this hour and place, but Miruna was not about to let that hinder her from any good she could do for her family here. Miruna walked, slowly following the sets of footprints that were large enough to be Van Helsing's. She noted that these led into the bushes occasionally and sometimes darted quickly behind a building or into an alley. Typical signs of someone on the hunt, she thought. Miruna followed them into town. She heard another gunshot and ran to see about it. As she arrived in the alley where the shot had been fired, she noticed Van Helsing holding Anna by the throat against a wall. She growled and flew at him, grabbing him from behind around the neck once more. Van Helsing snarled and reached behind him, tossing her to the ground.

"It is no wonder that the numbers in your family are so small! Your women are impossible from girlhood up!", he shouted. "I told you to stay back at the fortress!"

"I heard you.", Miruna grumbled as she stood up. Van siezed her by the shoulder. "Let go of me!"

"Stop attacking my family!", Anna yelled and grabbed Miruna away from him. "That goes for the wolfman as well.", she said sadly.

"I know. It's a little obvious that he's your brother, you didn't try to kill him yourself back at the fortress.", Van said. "He's not human anymore, you can't protect him."

"He's still my brother, that hasn't changed!", Anna cried.

"Then your family can be guilty of any innocent blood he sheds altogether!", Van shouted back.

"Is forgiveness so foreign to you? Has the yoke of the priests and their rituals robbed you of your own morals?", Anna said fighting back tears. Miruna held onto her tightly. From what she understood, there was a wolfman on the loose and it was physically her other cousin that was supposed to have died a little while ago. If Van Helsing was to be believed, then the young man was no longer connected to her family in any way. He was a monster through and through. Miruna saw monsters repeatedly in her dreams. She found it very hard to believe that anyone could simply become one. True some people seemed to be just as cold and ruthless as any harpy or goblin from stories past, but that didn't mean that these people actually lost their humanity in being so. She sighed and looked at the two of them standing over her in turn. Anna was older than Miruna by about three years, but it still felt like Miruna was a toddler by comparison to the experienced princess.

"We could follow him. Everyone deserves a chance to be redeemed. As long as a human heart beats within them, then there is still hope.", Miruna said. The two looked down at her. Van looked skeptical and wary, and Anna nodded in agreement. "Let's get after him as quickly as possible."

"We will go after him. You go back and tell Carl to keep watch for anything unusual.", Van instructed. Miruna looked at him in confusion. He sighed heavily. "Go back and tell the friar to keep doing his research, but to keep watch out for any attacks on the fortress. If the wolfman comes back to town I think he will simply keep going home."

Miruna opened her mouth to argue, but Anna covered her mouth quickly. She looked deeply into Miruna's eyes. "Do as he says, Miruna. You were almost lost once to a werewolf, the curse may be following you.", Anna warned. Miruna's eyes widened in realization. The monster she kept seeing in her dreams; it was a wolfman, a werewolf, it was from this village! She said nothing before bolting back to the fortress. She had to look through the family archives. Her father had said that he had been born in this region. Perhaps records of her early life were here as well. Carl, the timid friar that was currently sitting in the corner desk of the archives, looked over at her.

"Oh my! What are you doing up here?", he exclaimed.

"I need to find a recent record of the Valerious family. Say, in the past fifty years.", she said quickly. "And Van Helsing says to keep an eye out in case my cousin, I mean, the wolfman returns."

"Oh, well, alright.", Carl muttered and fished through the stack of books and documents in front of him. "Ah! Here we are. The Valerious family tree and personal journal of Christobel Sibiu Valerious. Would this help?"

"That's my father's name!", she shouted happily. She grabbed the large book away from him and raced out of the room. She hurried back into the drawing room. There was better lighting here. "Aha! Born in Vaseria, Transylvania in 1852 on the fifteenth of November.", she read aloud. Miruna began pouring over the journal entries. Entries of her father's personal life did not begin until the sixth of January in 1872, his twentieth birthday. The entry told her that he was betrothed to a beautiful woman named Tosca Corvinus. She was a most lovely Hungarian noblewoman. Details of her beauty and charm were given. He spoke of his role as a nobleman in Transylvania and among the Romany. Romany? Miruna had only heard that term used when using a proper description of gypsies. She studied it more carefully. It was true, her father was describing himself as a gyspy prince! Miruna felt a cold chill go down her spine. The thought of the prince from the village and her dream came to her, but that man was most definitely not her father in any sense. She continued reading. The last few lines were the most intriguing.

"Today is the four-hundred and tenth year after the murder of Prince Draculea. The choovini believe that he will try to rise against the clan and slay us all at once. I have a plan. I have learned the way to destroy him! The venom of the wolfman is the only way to destroy his powers and kill him! The choovini tell me that he can always be resurrected by virgin blood and the spell, 'Blood for blood, breath for breath. cursed in life, rise from death.'; that is his curse. He will never be truly able to die! I will make a great barter with him. I will swear to prevent the family from knowing how to destroy him every few centuries if he will promise safety to myself and my wife. It is brilliant! I shall stand in the greatest clearing of the eastern woods and call for him!"

Miruna read the words over and over again, trying to use the rationality that her father had at this point. If Prince Draculea could not ever permanently die, then why would he be afraid of someone knowing how to destroy him? She thought about this for a moment. She could think of only one person with the knowledge to answer this. She climbed back up the stairs and went quietly into the archives. She looked at the friar who was once again engulfed in a book.

"Carl?", she asked. She wasn't sure if that was his name, but she had remembered hearing Van Helsing refer to him as such. He looked up for a moment.

"Yes?"

"If a vampire is never truly able to die, say that even if they are destroyed they will be brought back, why would they be afriad of being destroyed even if they knew that they would live again?", she asked. Carl stared at her for a moment and then closed the book.

"Ah, yes. Well that's interesting you see, because according to myth a vampire simply waits in a terrible part of purgatory until the devil finds use for them. I suppose that even if they are able to resurrect, the thought of even a moment in hell is enough to make them careful about staying as alive as is possible for them.", he explained. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't think Draculea wants to kill all of my family simply for a land dispute or grudge. I think it's because they know how to send him back to hell, even if only temporarily.", Miruna explained.

"Right, well, I'll take that into consideration.", Carl said as he opened the book and began reading and muttering to himself again. Miruna shook her head and walked back down to the drawing room. She began to pace back and forth again. Curiosity soon got the better of her. She sat down and took the book back into her lap. She was almost afriad to continue. What if her father had sold his own soul to get this information? What if he had been the one to doom the Valerious to their constant state of fear? She read further.

"I have done it! Drauclea is in my service and I in his! My wife and any of our children will have the Count's protection. I feel such power in simply thinking about this. I will be invincible among my family! Voris always brags of his successful hunts, now he will be second to the one that is above being hunted in the first place! Tosca is with child! I pray for a son. Draculea has promised that he will do everything in his power to protect her, lest he incur my wrath."

Miruna frowned again. Her father seemed a little power-mad. He had blackmailed the world's most powerful vampire and wasn't even careful enough not to write about it. Anyone could have stolen this journal and read about this. She read on. In the next few entries over the years, she read about the birth of her brothers and a peaceful life that her family shared before her birth in Transylvania. After her brothers had been born, Draculea visited with her father and mother regularly. It was as if they had become well-aquainted diplomats. Miruna found these entries (which averaged to be about two per month over the course of several years) to be amusing and encouraging. Her father and mother were living a wonderful life here in Transylvania, why had he left? What had happened to her mother? She came accross a entry that gave her a slight chill. She read the passage carefully.

"Tosca is with child once more. The midwife says this will be a daughter. Voris has demanded that I take Nicolae and Norvescu on the hunts with us from now on. They are only seven, but if Voris suspects something is keeping me and my family from our duties as Valerious, then I could lose much. I would lose my family's safety, our home, possibly our lives, and most of all Vladislaus would be lost. I have discovered that to undo the Count's evil is not to kill him, but instead to redeem him. I am not certain how to go about doing this, but I will find a way. If not solely for his sake, then for Tosca and mine. He has been a dearer friend and comfort to us than anyone else."

This was the last passage written before her birth. It was strange to think deeply about one's immediate family before one's exsistance. She read the next passage just as carefully, but this passage had been written some four months after the last.

"Voris has accused me of betraying the family. Tosca is no longer under the aid of the choovini with our child. The kris have decided to keep us under watch until they are certain that I have not tried to break the laws of the clan. I am afraid for Vladislaus, but Tosca is determined to keep our ties with him strong. I hope for our family's sake that he does not reveal anything either. Much is at stake. I hope the world is more peaceful for our little girl."

Miruna felt tears in her eyes. Her father hadn't abandoned the family here, not really. They had turned their backs on him. And for what? Because of suspicion? There was no mention of any current horrors committed by Draculea in the clips of documents in this journal. Official documents detailing needs for the villagers. Murders or missing peoples weren't mentioned by her father or the other five men that were repeatedly signing their names to the papers. What was so wrong about her father recieving aid from Draculea, even if he was nosferatu, and he was harming no one? Miruna frowned and sighed again. She heard a noise behind her. She turned and looked at the enormous mirror in the wall behind her. It was inlayed with beautiful silver blessings in every language spoken in Europe. She turned back to the book when she was satisfied that there was nothing in the room with her uninvited or unseen. She turned the page and felt a sharp pain in her chest. This was the passage that was written on her birthdate, the fifteenth of February in 1880. She held her breath as she read.

"As I was out at the hunt today, Tosca gave birth to our daughter. The choovini were not there to deliver her. I had feared this would happen. But God granted us a miracle, as my wife screamed for help; the count heard her cries and entered through the mirror he has used many times to visit us. He delivered the girl and aided my wife until I returned. Tosca is doing quite well for such a difficult birth and so is our daughter. I gave Vladislaus the privelege of naming her. He told me that he has not had such peace in his heart for four centuries; so she is named 'Miruna' the peaceful one. I fear that she will not be welcomed since she was not delivered by the wisewomen. The villagers grow restless, they hear of a new man coming to live in the next castle in the mountains. He is a strange and modern doctor, but the Count assures me that he is presiding over the man's activities here. All will be well."

Miruna thought about this for a moment. She ignored it and continued to read. The next few passages that detailed the next few months spanned her early childhood. Her head began to ache a little at thinking about this. She grasped her head as nausea began to wash over her. She had to calm down. Why on earth was she getting so worked up over scribbled words in her father's journal? The next few passages would answer all her questions about the past, but it wasn't going to cause an overwhelming change in her, was it? She inhaled again, very slowly and turned the page. These two pages were stained with tears and the words were written askew. She felt a sharp pain twisting inside her.

"Tosca is dead. She and Miruna were in the forest. Miruna is just now only six. She is only a baby, really. Tosca was gathering herbs in the forest. She always loved the wild arnica. A werewolf attacked them. Miruna was bitten, but Draculea was able to arrive in time to get her to safety and cure the wound with a seerum he has perfected. He controls the beasts. Why did this one attack my family? Why wasn't he there to save Tosca as well? He promised his protection. The family is convinced that Miruna is cursed for surviving the attack, though they do not know she was bitten. I am not safe here; my children are not safe here. We must leave. Draculea has promised to set up an official position for me in Bucharest, but I am never to return here and neither are the children. I lost everything but my little ones. I leave Transylvania with such sadness, but I will be strong for them. I must be strong for them."

Miruna felt a lump a rise in her throat. She felt as though she had just lost a dear friend. She didn't remeber her mother, but she felt as though she had just lost her all over again. She began to cry softly. As the tears flowed out of her soft eyes, memories began rushing back to her. Wave after wave of happy memory hit her like a typhon slamming into a schooner. Almost as quickly as the memories flooded back, she felt the sting of their loss. The nightmare that had vaguely repeated in her mind over and over again, now played out once more in crystal clear colour and sound before her. Miruna felt her body convulse in fear, anger, despair, and pain. She crumpled to the floor, dropping the book. She felt someone take her by the shoulders. She groaned as they sat her up.

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?", Carl exclaimed. Miruna looked up at him, eyes still spinning. She moaned and tried to form words. He patted her shoulder. "Good, just stay here. I have to get out a warning to the village!"

Miruna's conscious came back to her at the word 'warning'. She suddenly heard noises from outside. Beating wings, shrieking, and scarmbling; like a flock of small animals rushing towards them. The sounds were getting louder. Miruna got up slowly and headed for the door. She felt something between euphoria and depression hanging on either side of her. Perhaps she was cursed. She had to render the aid that was not afforded to her mother to this village. Something had gone wrong in Transylvania after her father left. Something that definitely had Draculea behind it.


	4. Poised to Attack

Chapter 4: Poised to Attack

Miruna ran out past the front doors. There was absoloute chaos in the village! Tiny monsters were flying around everywhere. These creatures appeared to be some small form of a bat or dragon, but whatever they were they were unnatural and evil. Miruna knelt and began grabbing small stones, hurling them at the fiends. Her attacks didn't seem phase them at all. She grunted in frustration and then noticed something overhead. There were two larger and definitely female forms of these monsters. These harpies laughed and seemed to be instructing the little demons. Miruna felt a small amount of nausea course through her. She ignored it and ran to the town's well. Her nanna had taught her that in all myths and legends water was usually the undoing of evil. She tossed a bucket down the well and hauled it back up by the rope quickly. The creatures seemed to be more focused on attacking adults. She siezed the bucket as soon as it was full. She grasped it at the base, spun, and threw a small spray of water onto a group that was attacking a young man. The creatures shrieked and froze where they were fluttering. Miruna stared at them in disbelief for a moment. She couldn't believe it, it had worked! Suddenly, the creatures began to burst into nothing but tainted fluid. Miruna felt herself wretch slightly at seeing this. The remnants of the group splattered to the ground in front of her. Miruna looked back up at the sky to decide where to attack them next. To her surprise, the rest of the little mutants were also dissipating. She felt another stronger wave of sickness. She shuddered. The two females that had been laughing and enjoying the display suddenly screamed in anguish. Miruna looked up at one of them triumphantly. The succubus snarled and dove for her.

"You did this!", the creature growled. "You will die!" Miruna turned and began running swiftly from the red-haired harpy that pursuing her. Miruna suddenly felt all of the strength drain from her limbs. It was as if something within her had stopped producing life and energy. She crumpled to her knees and then to the ground.

"No.", she whispered to herself. She had to get up, she had to get away. She only needed to get back inside the castle, and then she would be safe. She climbed back to her knees again. Strength in the form of harsh breaths and a punding heart was building within her again. She managed to get one foot standing under her, but remained knelt on the other. She cursed her fear and tried to move forward. Sharp pain suddenly shot through her shoulders. She felt the ground disappear beneath her. She looked down, only to see the landscape spinning and fading. She was flying! The pain in her shoulders became more pronounced and now she felt a trickle of blood come from her shoulders. She looked up. The harpy was carrying her off in its talons like an owl with a mouse. Miruna groaned, feeling fear and illness taking her again. She seemed powerless to fight this monster. She simply watched as they continued on over the countryside. The harpies were still wailing. After a few moments, a castle came into view beneath them. Miruna almost felt herself wishing that the creature would drop her and let her simply fall to her death. The pain in her shoulders was almost unbearable.

The harpy landed, tossing Miruna off to the side. The two creatures morphed into a pair of gorgeous vixens. One wore a reavealing gown of green and white that set off her black tresses nicely, the other wore a more reavealing pink and white gown. This was the red-head that had cruelly brought her here to meet some unimaginably horrible fate. Miruna began to feel colder. There was no feeling of desperation anymore, but it was so cold. Tiredness surrounded her. She just knew that if she fell sound asleep she would be warm and safe again. Memories of her father and her past began to flash in front of her. She smiled and allowed each one to play out in front of her. She could still hear the voices of the harpies.

"Our young are dead, master!", one cried. "All of our children gone!"

"Those vile pests in the village destroyed them!", the red-head yelled. "This one was the leader of it!"

Miruna felt someone standing over her. She felt someone beside her. A faint heartbeat was coming from them. This struck Miruna as odd, a heartbeat was usually stronger and louder than this. She tried to open her eyes more to focus on what kind of person this was.

"Who wounded her?", the man next to her demanded. It was definitely a man. A native Romanian, from the sounds of it. In fact, that voice seemed very familiar. "You are lucky this girl has strength, Aleera. I have told you before not to harm the Valerious of her family."

The prince! It had to be him! She groaned and tried to sit up. A strong hand forced her to continue lying back. She felt him breathed very deeply. Warmth began to spread into her from his fingertips. She felt the heartbeat within him grow louder. It was as if his life-force and energy were flowing into her. She felt it become easier to breathe. Her mind cleared. She inhaled sharply. It suddenly snapped back in her mind that she was in peril. She sat bolt upright and scrambled to stand up.

"Let me go!", Miruna yelled defensively as she stood. The man took a step back. Miruna looked at him, fully and carefully. It was the prince from her dreams. His black clothing seemed to glow with some kind of unnatural power. Miruna stared at him in amazement. Two parts of her mind eclipsed and the identity of this man became clear. He was no mere prince, he was Draculea. He had been both a protector and a destroyer to her family. Miruna had heard many terrible stories from the people in Bucharest, but hadn't ever thought of him as being real until recieving the letter from Anna. Did he still remember the oath he made to her father? Even if he did, would he still be cruel to her because she had returned against her father's wishes and his? Miruna took a step back. The expression on his face changed from shocked to worried. Miruna felt a little more nervous and took another step back. Miruna had forgotten the most important advice a passerby in Bucharest had given her as a small child; 'Watch where you're going!'. Miruna felt herself step back, but realized too late that there was nothing behind her. She tried to scream, but felt the sound catch in her throat. She fell backwards immediately off of the tall tower. Draculea flew forward, spreading his wings. He swooped below her before she had a chance to fall a full story down the tower. Miruna gasped and held onto him as they glided to the ground. He looked down at her, still in shock. Miruna pulled away from him and stepped back. "You saved me.", she whispered.

"It is my duty, Miruna.", he replied. "Why have you come back to Transylvania?"

"I... Anna sent a letter. I had forgotten everything about this place. I didn't know.", she stammered. "Are you going to kill me?"

He looked almost hurt at this. "No, Miruna. Why would you think that?", he asked softly. He looked deeply into her eyes and put his arms around her. Miruna suddenly realized that she was shaking quite violently. She felt herself stop shaking after he had held her for a moment. She felt safe with him. Still, the conflict of the stories that she had heard and the fear of the realization of her past still gripped her. She looked up at him uneasily. "You have to go home, Miruna. This place is not safe for you.", he said. "It never was."

"I can't go home. Anna told my father and I that you were trying to kill her and now her brother has become a wofman! I have to help her, _you_ have to help her.", Miruna exclaimed stepping away from him.

"Velkan is dead, Miruna. The venom has killed his spirit, but he is at peace now.", Draculea said firmly. "As for Anna, her family chose to be my enemy. Your father was the only Valerious that saw me as his brother. You are under my protection, your brothers are as well; but Anna is sworn to destroy me."

Miruna stared at him in confusion. "But Anna sees you as a monster, you aren't. If she could see the good that you've done then..."

"Then what, hmm? Do you think she will abandon her quest for my demise? She has been raised with the notion that my undoing is the only way that her family can enter heaven. Fools.", he muttered. "I seek to preserve my kind, Anna seeks to destroy us. The history books tell of all the great deeds I did for God and Romania. If those aren't enough for her then nothing will be enough to convince her. I gave my life to aide the people of Transylvania. I was betrayed." He looked down at her. "This is not your burden to bear, child. You must go home."

"I can't. Anna is my family, I won't give up on her.", Miruna said firmly as she pushed away from him. He stared back in admiration and sadness. Miruna thought she saw a glint of jealousy in his eyes. Jealousy for the love and loyalty she was displaying for family that was essentially brand new to her. He sighed and looked away for a moment. "Will you take me back to the village?"

He turned back to face her, amused. She was refusing to do as he instructed, but still asking for a favour. She was definitely a Valerious woman. He nodded slightly and put his arms around her once more. Miruna felt his warm heart beating. It was so faint, so shallow, almost unnoticeable. She concentrated on it for a moment. Suddenly she felt a sharp rush of cold air around her. She opened her eyes. He wasn't standing in front of her, and she was not in front of the castel anymore. Miruna stood in front of the great mirror in the drawing room of the Valerious manor. She sighed and looked down at her father's journal that still lay on the chair. She reached for it slowly. She suddenly heard a commotion in the entranceway of the manor. Anna and Van Helsing were back. She left the journal and went to find out what they had done with her cousin, Velkan.


	5. An Issue of Trust

Chapter 5: The Issue of Trust

Miruna rushed into the entrance room where Anna and Van Helsing were talking quietly and ugrently. Anna turned immediately at seeing her cousin. Miruna looked at both of them and frowned at seeing they were unaccompanied.

"He wasn't lying. Velkan really is dead to the curse, isn't he?", she asked sadly. Van lowered his gaze and focused on her. Anna did the same, but out of concern.

"Who wasn't lying, Miruna?", she asked.

"The prince, Draculea.", she replied softly. Van Helsing reached into his belt and grabbed a spinning blade, rearing back to throw it at Miruna. Anna saw this first and gasped. She grabbed hold of his arm and held it tightly. Miruna jumped behind a chair and shuddered as she looked up at them. "I know you told me to stay here, but I had to find a way to help when I saw the little monsters attacking the village! One of the vampires kidnapped me and took me to an old castle, or the roof of it anyway."

"Did they bite you?", Van Helsing demanded. She shook her head madly, staring up at him in fear. "Then would you care to explain the blood on your collar?"

Miruna pulled the clothing in front of her and stared at it. She felt ill at seeing her own blood, but there was no wound to intesify anything terrible she might be feeling. She looked back at him. "The vampire dug her claws into me as we flew away. Draculea was very angry with her for it. It was the one with red hair, he called her Aleera I think.", Miruna explained. Van Helsing frowned and calmed himself, shaking free of Anna. He walked over to Miruna and firmly lifted her in front of him to examine the wounds. She tried to get away from him desperately. "He healed me, I'm fine."

"I doubt that. What does he want with you?", he said holding her in front of his face. "You'd better not lie to me, are you aiding him?"

Miruna stayed silent for a moment. He growled a little and pulled out another blade, holding it menacingly in front of her. Anna shouted at him from accross the room as she raced to her cousin's aid. Miruna felt her mouth go dry and her mind go numb.

"I'm not helping him. He helped me. A long time ago. He helped all of my family.", she said softly as she looked into his eyes fearlessly.

"If he helped your family, then why are more than half of them dead and calling for retribution against him?", he demanded.

"He only helped _my_ family. Tata, mamika, and my brothers. Tata made a bargain with him since he knew how to kill him.", Miruna said as Van began to slowly lower her to the floor. He pulled her back up again harshly at her last statement.

"How do I kill him?", he demanded.

"I don't know! Tata knew! He kept it a secret as part of their bargain!", she shouted defensively.

"So you came here to make sure I didn't kill him and keep your father's bargain, is that it?"

"No! I didn't know about all of this until last night! The friar let me read parts of tata's journal that survived the ages. I didn't remember anything about Transylvania until last night!", Miruna exclaimed. She felt truly terrified at the hands of this man. He hadn't really harmed her yet, but the wanted posters had to be around Bucharest for a reason. "You have to believe me, I don't know who to help and who to trust! Tata has been cruel to me since we left Vaseria and I don't remember the kindness Draculea showed my family."

"If you're so confused, then perhaps it is best for you to leave.", Anna said. She looked a little hurt at Miruna mentioning what she had prayed had not been true. Rumours of Christobel betraying the family for selfish reasons had exsisted among her relatives and friends of the family for years. Anna had broken protocol in begging for his help, but now she felt foolish for doing so. Christobel had indeed betrayed them so many years ago. Anna looked at Van Helsing directly as he set Miruna down. "She should go back to the Vatican with you. From there you can send for Christobel to come and collect her."

"I'm not going to the Vatican! The village needs to be protected, and I want to know more of my past!", Miruna said firmly. Van turned to her and smiled slightly. She took a step backwards and gulped. "Tata's journal says that to undo Draculea's evil you must..."

"_Now_ you remember?", Van said in amusement. Miruna glared at him.

"To undo Draculea's evil, he must be redeemed. Tata did not know how, but I'm sure that if I can speak with some of the villagers and choovihni, then I can find a way.", Miruna stammered.

"_Redeemed_? How can you redeem a monster?! He's without a soul to redeem!", Anna exclaimed. "You don't know what you are saying, Miruna. You will go with Van Helsing and Carl."

Van kept looking over his shoulder out the door every now and again. Miruna wondered briefly if he had something waiting outside for him. He turned back to her.

"Come on, we need to get ready.", he instructed.

"I'm not going!", Miruna shouted indignantly. Van turned to Anna and shook his head. Miruna probably would have started running under any other circumstances, but sleep deprivation and curiosity were getting the better of her. She made no effort to move out of the way as another spray of the blue powder from the previous night hit her. Miruna crumpled to the ground, sleeping peacefully.

Again, Miruna felt calm and serene. Surrounded by a sea of warmth like the last glow of a fire from the hearth. She smiled and stretched in it. The soft sounds of surging water were all around her and constant. Miruna realized that she was hearing her own blood pulsing through her veins. It was a comfort to know that she was alive and still feeling so wonderful. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was back in the forest in which she had re-lived so many nightmares. This time it was peaceful and quiet. The last orange rays of the sun were streaming through the branches. She breathed deeply and inhaled the scent of autumn. Autumn smelled like fire and tree bark most anywhere, but especially in Romania. She sighed and stood up to walk around a little. As she rose to her feet, the dark prince appeared in front of her again. This time, Miruna could clearly see his features and recognize him. The two simply stared at one another and smiled for a moment. He reached down and took both of her hands in his.

"Whatever happens, child, you must not be afraid. I will be with you.", he soothed. Miruna loved the sound of his voice. It was like the sea, commanding but fluid. He reached down and softly kissed her forehead. "Now, awaken."

At his last words, Miruna shot bolt upright. Or at least, what she thought was sitting up. She could now feel that she had already been sitting up all along. She looked around her. She was moving, but not walking. She suddenly recognized the jostling and sounds of clattering hooves. She was in a carriage careening accross the countryside. She groaned and held her aching head once more. She saw the friar sitting next to her. She looked at the seat accross the way to decide if it was large enough to lie down on. Instead of a seat, Miruna saw a hideous man! Perhaps it was something else, but it definitely resembled a man. She gasped and jumped, trying to get behind Carl for the moment. She felt something tug at her wrists. As she looked down, she noted that her wrists had been tightly bound by rope. She growled and cursed Van Helsing quietly. She looked over at Carl.

"What are you looking at? Help me out of this!", she demanded. She felt it best to not ask questions about the man/thing in the carriage with them given Van Helsing's reputation and the nature of her need for coming to Translyvania in the first place. Carl frowned.

"I'm afraid I can't do that.", he replied simply.

"Why not?", she whined helplessly.

"Because I'm a coward, that's why. If I set you loose then Van Helsing and your cousin will make me look like _him_.", Carl explained pointing to the creature. The creature snarled at him, showing all of its rotting and coppered teeth. "No offense."

"Then you help me!", Miruna shouted at the creature. To which the creature replied by holding up both of his shackled wrists. Miruna groaned and looked out the window. "Are you another vigilante sent by Rome?", she muttered to the creature.

"No.", he rasped back. Miruna turned to him in surprise. "I am the creation of Doctor Victor Frankenstein. Count Draculea needs me to unleash a terrible plague on mankind."

Miruna gulped slightly. Perhaps the handsome prince truly was a servant of pure evil. If he was, then he was a servant of pure evil with incredibly polished good manners. She looked up at the creation nervously.

"Do you have a name?", she asked softly. He smiled, seeming almost touched by her asking for something so simple.

"My father called me Adam, just as God called the first man.", he explained. Miruna nodded and smiled at him.

"My name is Miruna Toscava Valerious. I am pleased to meet you, Adam.", she replied politely holding out both of her hands bound as one to him. He cautiously took the fingers of one and shook them akwardly. Carl snickered to himself at this display. Miruna was obviously a well-sheltered and well-bred young girl. She couldn't possibly bear any blood in common with the unfriendly gypsies and peasants that dwelled in Vaseria. The carriage began to lurch to one side. Carl felt this and looked out of the window. He gasped and opened the door. Miruna looked over him and cried out. Anna was dangling from the door-facing and the carriage was making a very narrow turn on a very narrow mountain road! "Carl, do something!", Miruna cried.

"Trying to!", Carl replied. He slammed the door shut and allowed Anna to try and get her bearings before trying to help her. Miruna shouted at him a little louder and a little crueler. He ignored this and opened the door again. He reached out and began to help Anna climb back up to the driver's seat. Anna was surprised, as were both spectators to this, that Carl had such strength in his arms. Just as Anna was about to make a good grab for the roof, Carl's grasp on her arms slipped and Anna fell backwards a little. Miruna jumped forward and took hold of her cousin's arms with her bound hands. She groaned and began to pull her cousin to safety as another banging came to the opposite side of the carriage. Carl turned and looked out the other window, leaving Miruna to struggle with Anna momentarily. He cried out at seeing Van Helsing struggling for help at the bottom railing of the carriage on the opposite of Anna. Frantically, he unlocked the chains on Adam and instructed him to 'hurry up and help'. Adam moved quickly to pick Van up and fling him back to the roof of the carriage, then did the same for Anna. Miruna fell back into her seat, exhausted.

Adam sat back and smiled at her as the two caught their breath. Miruna watched the expression on Adam's face change to terriffied. She turned and screamed as well noticing that the roof of their moving carriage was aflame! Miruna and Carl jumped away as the flames continued to lick hungrily at the cieling. Suddenly, the carraige hit an enormous rock in the path. The right rear wheel caught it at an odd left angle, sending the vehicle hurtling through the air still on fire. Miruna shrieked as she and her two travel-mates were tossed about inside the burning carriage. The rolling mass of shouts and injuries finally came to rest in a far part of the forest. Adam wasted no time in pushing the other two out of the way and breaking the door off of the carriage. Miruna groaned and looked up into Carl's face. He looked down at her and smiled akwardly for a moment.

"This is would be the wrong time to tell you you're actually quite pretty for a gypsy, wouldn't it?", he said innocently. Miruna growled and hit into the side of his head with her bound wrists. Carl grunted in pain and fell over to the other side of her. Adam's large hand reached back through the doorway and lifted Miruna up and out. He set her down a few feet away and looked her over to make sure that she was alright to stand on her own. She seemed to be alright for the time being, so he turned his attentions to getting Carl out of the wreckage. Miruna suddenly heard Anna cry out. She frowned and ran to follow the sound. She ran towards a clearing and saw Anna tying angrily into Van with tears in her eyes. Miruna looked to the side facing away from the Valerious princess. Lying motionless on the ground was a handsome young man with features very similar to Anna's. Miruna's heart sank, that must have been Velkan. She knelt beside him and tried to find his pulse before noticing the large bullet wound. Though Miruna hadn't known this cousin, she felt uncontrollable sorrow in her core at losing him. Bitter memories of standing over her mother's mangled corpse screaming, as Draculea fought off the werewolf and sent it away came flooding back. Miruna remembered how torn she had been at losing Mamika at the young age of six. Anna had been blessed with far more years than that with Velkan, her pain was immeasurable. Miruna wiped the tears away and looked back at Van Helsing and her cousin. She was startled to see that in her momentary lamenting, she had not been able to hear the two of them leave. She stood up akwardly moving around her bound wrists, growling with frustration and sadness. Van came walking back over to her quickly. He grabbed her and took one of the blades from his belt. Miruna shrieked and tried to pull away as he sliced at her.


	6. The Burial and The Third Encounter

Chapter 6: The Burial and The Third Encounter

Miruna squeezed her eyes closed as she heard the wicked hiss of the blade coming towards her, spinning. Van held both her wrists tightly and sliced firmly through the ropes binding them. She opened one eye, then the other when she was confident that it was safe and she wasn't maimed. She glared up at him as he placed the blade back inside his coat.

"You could have warned me!", she shouted indignantly.

"I know.", Van replied quickly. Miruna suddenly remembered that Anna's brother had just been killed. She looked over at his body for a moment, then back to Van. "I'm not sorry. I killed a monster, not your cousin.", Van said defensively. He wanted to have the upperhand before Miruna could start blurting out accusations.

"I didn't know him, Van Helsing. He was family, but I never got a chance to really know him." She sighed and looked over at him once more. "He needs to be given a proper burial.", she said as she started to walk towards him. Van Helsing grabbed her by the collar and held her still. Miruna felt him cringe in pain somewhat at this expendature of strength. She looked up at him inquisitively. He looked down at her sternly.

"You and Carl will go into town with Adam. Find a cart and a place for Carl to alert Rome to our situation. I'll join you before this evening.", he instructed.

Miruna looked around. "Where is Anna?", she asked, suddenly realizing that her cousin was nowhere in sight.

"She was kidnapped. Though I doubt that Draculea will be so good as to return her like he did for you.", Van said with a touch of disdain for Miruna directly in his voice. Miruna looked completely shocked. "Go into the city, now.", he ordered. Miruna frowned at him and looked back at Velkan, her fallen cousin. Van sighed. "I will bury him properly and make sure you and Anna can come back to see it."

"Why should I trust you with something like this? You wanted to kill me back at the fortress.", Miruna countered.

"I want to kill you right now. I don't trust you. You have been taken by a vampire without being turned. Even you have to admit that the whole thing would seem a little more than suspicious.", he replied. Miruna glared furiously at him. "Now get going. We don't have much time."

"Anna can handle herself. I'm much weaker than she is and still managed to get out alive.", Miruna snorted indignantly. Van shook his head and looked away, whispering to himself.

"Anna's not the only one with the clock running against her.", he muttered.

"What did you say?", Miruna asked. Van glared at her. Miruna saw something familiar and terrifying in his eyes. She couldn't quite place it, but it was reminiscent of the creature from her nightmares, the werewolf. She gulped and took a step back. She turned to Carl and motioned for them to leave quickly. Carl nodded and followed with Adam lumbering behind them. Miruna felt it best to leave Van Helsing to his task of burying Velkan. He seemed remorseful for the loss of the young man, although not remorseful for the action in taking his life. While Miruna found this extremely odd, she also was a little understanding of it. Van Helsing had acclimated to the idea of taking life, but not the emotions and griefs of it. She and Carl found a fairly large covered cart for she and Adam to wait in while he cabled Rome for an update on both ends of the mission. Carl looked at both of them before he turned to leave.

"Don't leave this cart for any reason. Do you understand?", he said. Miruna nodded. Adam growled at him a little and Carl bolted away. The two chuckled at how easily the little friar, who was helping a hardened monster hunter, was frightened. Miruna looked over at Adam. The late October sky was growing very dark. In Bucharest, the city would be preparing for a magnificent clebration of 'All Hallow's Eve'. Miruna was very fond of this holiday. It was a chance to don a costume that matched the true passions of the soul and see all the other passions of others revealed all at once. It was a unifying night for everyone, and therefore wonderfully terrifying. The feasts were incredible and the dancing was marvelous, but the idea of looking into someone else's true person while they did the same to you was both intoxicating and exhilarating. Imagine seeing the absoloute truth about someone, them seeing the same in you, and still having the spirit and understanding to dance and eat together. Absolouteley fabulous! She sighed at the memory and then looked over at her companion. He was looking around nervously. A gust of freezing air ripped through the canvas that covered the cart and gnawed hungrily at Miruna. She shuddered and felt herself cough madly at the force of such cold. She breathed deeply and looked back up at Adam with concern. He couldn't have been prepared for such hardships, he wasn't really human after all. She remained still as he moved over to her side and put a part of the cloak he was wearing around her. It wasn't very much to keep the cold away, but the warmth in the gesture was a momentary distraction from the misery of the cold itself. The two waited silently for the return of their friends. Miruna leaned into Adam slightly and closed her eyes. Even after being in a drug-induced sleep for several hours, Miruna felt exhausted after the incident in the carriage and her coughing fit. She breathed in as deeply as she could and relaxed. Just as she felt herself drifting into a peaceful sleep, the entry flap on the canvas was pulled up. She sat up and shook herself awake. Van Helsing stood at the front of the cart with Carl beside him. Miruna yawned and rubbed her eyes for a moment. Adam stood and picked her up under her arms, handing her out to Van Helsing like a doll. Van took her and then set her on the ground. The three stepped back and allowed Adam to climb out of the small vehicle.

"Did anyone see you after Carl left?", Van Helsing asked. Miruna and Adam both shook their heads. Van Helsing nodded to both of them. "Good. Carl and I are going to try and rescue Anna at Vilkova palace. There is to be a celebration at midnight and both he and I will be there. You two will need to stay hidden."

"This wagon seems to have worked so far.", Miruna offered. Van looked at it thoroughly for a moment.

"It can't stay in this part of the city. It will need to be somewhere with less public traffic.", he stated. "You two get back in the cart. Carl, go and get two horses. We need to move this without him being seen."

"Where do you plan on placing the wagon?", Adam asked. Van looked up at him for a second and then silently pointed to the wagon again. It was clear that Van was in no mood to explain anything to anyone that was not immediately necessary. Miruna said nothing and climbed into the wagon first. This time, she curled up with her knees at hre chest in the back of the wagon and closed her eyes. The simple regal dress she had been wearing provided little warmth, but managed to cover all of her as she lie down to rest. At least she would freeze looking more modest than an average young girl in her situation. She sighed and closed her eyes once more. She wasn't sure of anything around her (by choice for the time being) least of all the time. Just as sleep was about to mercifully take her, the wagon jerked and started to move forward. She jumped and sat upright looking at Adam and the rest of the wagon. He noticed this and spoke up.

"Carl returned with the horses. We are going to a safe place to stay for the night.", Adam explained and handed her something in a folded cloth. Miruna accepted it and unfolded it. Inside was a piece of flatbread. It was cold, but it would do the trick for now. She looked back at him in surprise. "Carl thought ahead.", he explained. Miruna smiled at him and began to eat the cold portion gratefully. Adam turned back to watching the small part of the passing landscape that could be seen through the entrance flap. Every now and then the breeze and the movement of the wagon would cause it to open a little. It revealed to the two that were in the wagon that they were headed a little outside the city. Miruna tried not to imagine what kind of terrible location they would be left in. The wagon was safe for now, that was good enough for her. She layed back against the floor once more and tried to drift off. The movements and cold were now to strong against her senses to allow her relaxation. She groaned and shifted, trying to get more comfortable, but to no avail. The wagon came to a stop. Miruna scooted to the front of the wagon, shifting past Adam, and looked out at their surroundings. She shrieked.

"A graveyard! Are you mad!?", Miruna shouted. Van looked back up at her as he and Carl began slipping on simple costumes over their clothing. Van looked at Miruna for a moment, then tossed his large, leather duster up to her. She grabbed it and flung it to the side. "We can't stay here, you lunatic!"

"You're right.", Van said and pulled out a small pipe. Miruna ducked out of the way instinctively. Van was not going to get the better of her this time! As she ducked, Adam looked over her to see if what she was fussing about was true. Just as he pushed his head out of the flap, Miruna heard a soft 'thump' and then Adam fell over unconscious. Miruna scooted away from him and cried out. The wagon began to move again. She gasped and looked out the entry flap again. In front of the wagon was the entrance to a large stone tomb. thought quickly about how to get out of this. Before her tired mind could come to rest on one plan for certain, the wagon was completely enveloped by the tomb. She began to scream at thinking she would be sealed in to this gruesome shelter. A hand reached into the wagon and pulled her out firmly. Miruna fought the person helping her until they set her down. She raced out of the tomb and looked back inside. Van came walking out slowly, bringing his duster and a hat. Miruna looked at him in bewilderment. He tossed the coat to her as he picked up a heavy headstone and began to move it in front of the tomb's door.

"What are you doing!? You can't do that to him!", she exclaimed.

"I just did.", Van replied. "He's secure. The two of you are safe for now. I can't sense any evil in this place, only death.", he reasoned. "He won't be going anywhere without some help from the dead."

"It's not the dead you're dealing with, half-wit! It's the undead! A stone door and a headstone aren't going to divert them from their task. They literally have all the time in the world on their side!", she exclaimed. Van turned to her angrily and pulled down one of his sleeves. There, on his left shoulder, was a nasty bite mark. Miruna took step back and stared back in disgust.

"I don't have time on my side, Miruna Valerious. I don't have the luxury of a well-organized plan of action. It's only a matter of time before I become what I hate.", he snorted. Miruna gulped as he pulled the sleeve back up and winced in pain. "I have your cousins to thank for that."

"You were bitten by the wolf man?", she whispered. He looked away and called for Carl. The two turned to leave. Van turned back to Miruna for a moment.

"Sit by the mausoleum until we return. Keep the coat on you, you're not prepared for this weather.", he said as he hurried off towards the other side of the town. Miruna watched for a moment, then turned to sit back at the tomb's entrance and wait. She sighed and pulled the duster around her. It was much warmer than the canvas on the wagon. She looked up at the night sky. There were no twinkling stars to watch and the moon was nowhere in sight. She looked back down at the ground. This was incredibly boring. She stood and began to walk in circles around the large stomb tomb and a few other graves. At about the seventeenth circle, she heard a soft scraping on the walls of the tomb. She stopped and remained frozen for a moment. The sound came again, but this time on one of the graves behind her. She whirled around and examined the darkening land. There was no one in sight and there was no trace of anything either. She turned back to the tomb slowly. It was too dark to go and investigate fully, but there was still enough light left from the setting sun to assuage any complete terror she might have had at what lurked in the cemetary. As she rounded the corner, she stumbled in shock. She scrambled to her knees and looked back at the entrance to make sure what she had just glimpsed was not a dream.

"A night without stars is empty, yes?", Draculea said. He was standing a few paces away from the tomb's entrance with his hands floded neatly behind his back. He stared up at the stars facing away from Miruna. She hurried behind another large headstone. He turned his head slightly. "I can hear you, Miruna. Come out, now."

Miruna remained still. Perhaps she could make him think he had imagined hearing her movements. The scraping sound came from within the tomb once more. Miruna inched a little closer to the nearest wall of it to listen closely.

"Did you not hear me?", Draculea said. Miruna looked up and shrieked, falling backwards. He was standing right over her. She hadn't heard him move or felt the air around her change with the presence of another human being. "Now you've heard me. What are you doing in a cemetary at this hour? I told you to go home."

He reached down and tried to help her stand. Miruna fought with him for a moment and tried to get away. She felt truly afraid now. There was no conflict within her to try and trust him, she simply feared for her life. He clearly noticed this and grabbed hold of both of her arms, forcing her to stand and face him. Miruna stayed perfectly still again, looking up at him emotionlessly. He looked down at her. Miruna began to feel strange. It was the way she felt if she breathed to quickly for a few moments. Then a soft warm wave washed over her. It felt comforting. She began to concentrate on it in the hopes of gathering her strength and thoughts. As she concentrated, she began to lose all desire to fight back and gather any strength. She felt completely soothed. She closed her eyes for a moment and then jarred back to the present.

She was sitting in front of the mausoleum as she had been just a moment ago. She looked around her. Nothing seemed to have changed. She looked back at the entrance to the tomb. It was undisturbed and she heard no sounds from it. She sighed with relief and pulled the leather coat around her again. Miruna's eyes flew open when she realized that her covering was not the leather duster. As she looked down, she saw that Van Helsing's coat had been replaced with Draculea's handsome black cloak. She cried out and threw it to one side. Ahead of her, on the iron gate, was the duster. It was humourously impaled on one of the pointed rails. She gulped and stepped backwards. As she moved against the headstone, it scooted effortlessly and clattered to the ground. That was impossible! Carl and Van Helsing had used all their strength to move it to the tomb, and then Van had struggled to place it just right in front of the door. She looked down at the headstone again. It was the same basic shape as the one Van and Carl had moved, but in focusing more on the relic she could see that this was made of wood. She groaned and forced the door to the tomb open. She rushed into the tomb and over in the direction of the wagon tracks. In the dark, she was still able to find the back of the canvas wagon and look into it.

"Adam! Adam!", she called frantically. There was no reply. There was no sound at all that was not generated by her person. She felt desperation and fear grip her at the same time. Adam had said that Draculea would use him to bring evil offspriing into the world. Was that what those little monsters in the village had been? If so, then to bring a hoarde of those to life was entirely evil. She felt her voice catch in her throat and she began to cough madly once more. Suddenly, the light that had given her minimal sight in this stone prison began to fade. Miruna looked up in time to see the door beginning to close. She raced forward and tried to force her way through the door. By the time she arrived at the door itself, there was only a crack left to try and open. Miruna caught it with both sets of fingers and began struggling violently to pry it open. She felt fire burning within every inch of her body. While it was a nice vacation from the cold, it was painful. She shouted and forced all of her strength into her arms. They began to quiver with the pressure and cold. Miruna felt all of her strength rise and then begin to fade more quickly than the light in the tomb. She screamed loudly as the door began to close completely. Just as she began to feel the stone around her delicate hands, the door was grabbed firmly by some unseen force. It flew to one side as Miruna fell forward to the earth. She panted and cried softly. The one who had removed the door, took her into their arms and held onto her for a moment.

"Of all the foolish thing. Walking into a tomb and leaving the door free to close.", Draculea said as he let go of her. "Why must you listen to, look at, and touch everything? Hmm?"

"Bring him back! You should be ashamed of yourself! Bring him back!", she shouted at him.

He laughed. "Miruna, this is beyond your control. Why do insist on prying into business that is not yours?"

"It's my family! Anna needs me!", Miruna shouted. She suddenly felt overcome with all of her returned memories, confused questions, and recent losses. "Velkan's dead!", she wailed and began to cry loudly. He moved to hold her once again. Miruna allowed this, seeing as he was the only available comfort for her.

"Velkan died more than a month ago, Miruna. The Valerious of Transylvania have been killing each other and allowing themselves to die for years.", he said. His words weren't meant to be comforting, nor did they give a hint of being so. Miruna cried harder and began to shake. "But your tata grew tired of the nonsense. He studied our proud history and laws. He bargained with me as my descendant. The others were given the option centuries ago, but refused in hatred. Voris's family carries that same hatred, Miruna. Do not be drawn into it alongside them."

"If they're all family, then why didn't you help them too?", she cried.

"You can lead a horse to a temple, but you cannot make him pray.", he said. Miruna stopped crying and looked up at him in confusion. "There, now you forget lamenting for a moment. The family has been hell-bent on destruction, my dear. I am simply a convenient target."

"Why?", she breathed.

"If any mortal truly knew the answer to such a thing, they would shoot themselves. You are blessed with ignorance towards the true potentials of the evils of man, my child. May it remain that way.", he said. He looked away slightly. "It is a terrifying thing to hear the hearts of evil men."

Miruna looked up at him with what felt like pity. He looked back down at her. "But you yourself are evil. You've murdered hundreds of innocent people according to the village."

He chuckled and wrapped the cloak around her again. "Again, the best way to ensure hatred of that which you yourself fear, is to use any means necessary to make others fear it just as badly. The village told tall tales of my thirst for blood. Do you know that I have never killed anyone other than a convicted criminal after trial or an enemy soldier on the field?", he said.

She frowned. "But the victims you have bitten...", she countered.

"Human bodies course with much blood, child. To drink it all is a waste. Why take more than you need?", he said. "My brides have become careless in the past, and I admit that I have done in a fair share of tresspassers, but aren't tresspassers immediate criminals in the eyes of the law?"

"Then why use Adam at all? I thought you were going to cover the world with your kind using him.", she exclaimed.

"I do not wish for this curse to continue. I simply want to see if the creature can in fact give new life to my kind.", he explained. "If it can, then I will be free again. I will live." His gaze trailed off towards the heavens as he spoke. He sighed peacefully. The faint heartbeat that followed him when Miruna was near him became a little louder for a moment. She tried to step away from him. He looked down at her once more. "You do not remember much of your matreshka, Miruna, yet you miss her terribly. Your spirit aches at the loss of her. Imagine how much more grieved you would feel if you had enjoyed such a precious treasure for near forty years and then had it ripped away from you, only to wallow in misery and destitution for centuries to come."

"I forgive you.", she whispered. He looked deeply into her eyes, amazed.

"What?", he whispered back.

"I forgive you, prince. There is no sin or emnity between us.", she said. "I wish that everyone around you will do the same. Then and only then, will you ever be free."

He shook his head and sighed heavily. He pulled her into one last full embrace. As Miruna heard the hearbeat fade, she realized that she was embracing a nearby stone angel. She stepped back and looked around. She suddenly felt terribly cold. His cloak was no longer around her shoulders. Miruna raced over to the fence where Van Helsing's coat lay pathetically maimed on the fance post. She grabbed it and pulled it tightly around her. As she began to walk over to the door of the tomb, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned in time to see Van, Carl, and Anna running towards her. All of them looked very agiatated and very wet.


	7. Incuring the Wrath of the Avenger

Chapter 7: Incuring the Wrath of The Avenger

Van Helsing walked angrily towards Miruna. Miruna noticed this and began to retreat over to Anna's direction. Van Helsing was too quick for her. He siezed her by the collar and glared at her.

"You are helping him! You have to be!", he shouted angrily. He shook her furiously as she began to cry. "The world is doomed and you're one of the ones sending it to hell!"

"He's not evil! We can stop this!", Miruna cried. Van growled and dropped her. She looked up at him. "He's the only person that's ever been forthcomming with with the truth to me! He doesn't order me around like a child or ignore me! He can't be evil!"

Van frowned and shook his head. He reached down and helped her stand, carefully. Anna finally made it over to them beside Carl. Van touched the side of her head and sighed.

"I had no idea you were bewitched. I should have thought of that, I'm sorry.", he said softly. Miruna pushed him away angrily.

"Either that venom is eating away your common sense or you are stupid!", she shouted. He took a step back in shock. "Since I have been young, no one wanted to tell me what had happened in my past. No one wanted to tell me what had happened to my mother. No one wanted me to ask questions. No one spoke to me past telling me one of two things; what a sweet little girl I was or what a nuissance I was! I prayed God would send me someone to be my friend and end my nightmares. I thought it would be Anna, but there are too many things for her to worry about to truly be what I asked for. Prince Draculea has saved my life twice and demands nothing in return! There cannot be anything evil about that!"

"His saving your life or not isn't the issue, princess! It's all of the lives he's cyphoned out of the numerous villages and cities he's preyed on. A random act of kindness cannot save the soul of a man.", Van countered.

"It already did, or haven't you read the holy scriptures?", Miruna spat back. Van snarled and raised his hands in frustration.

"How can you stand there and preach righteousness to me!? You stood here while minions of the devil took a necessary tool to bring forth a reign of terror over the world!", Van shouted. Anna put her arms around Miruna and held onto her. She glared at Van for a moment.

"Miruna is confused, Van Helsing. She has been too sheltered all of her life to understand what we face.", Anna explained. She found it impossible to think that anyone in her family would willingly aide the enemy, least of all Miruna who had already suffered so much. The only explanation had to be that Miruna was simply misguided and open to the suggestions of a handsome monster. "We need to get back to the fortress and find him before it is too late."

Miruna looked up at Van Helsing coldly. "I know where to find him and how to get there.", she stated. Van lowered his gaze at her and snarled slightly. The antics of this little brat were wearing on him like nothing else. She smiled wickedly. "I will yell you how to find Draculea if you promise not to kill him."

Van shouted in anger and grabbed a nearby headstone, flinging it madly accross the graveyard. Miruna stepped back, terriffied, as Carl defensively put a hand on Van's chest and did his best to hold him back. Carl reached up and whispered something to his counterpart. Miruna couldn't hear what was being said at all. Carl told Van Helsing to go through with the bargain not to kill the enemy. After all, he was already dead so there would be no killing, just sending him on to eternity. Van smiled a little at the wonderful loophole that had presented itself. Miruna might have been buligerant and able to spout off ancient wisdoms, but she was still a naive little girl on the whole. He sighed and looked down at her.

"Carl reminds me that every being deserves a chance just as I did when I began my work.", Van lied. "I promise not to kill the count if you will show us the way there. But I can't make any promises about Anna or about not destroying his lair itself. Deal?"

Miruna thought for a moment. Anna certainly wouldn't be able to kill Draculea, only Van Helsing could attempt to do so with lycanthropic venom in his system. Even so, Van was already out of control without being in full lycan form, so his being able to control himself long enough to carry out a well-organized plan of attack was out of the question. Besides, Draculea had a cure that had been able to remove the curse from Miruna so it only stood to reason that he could use it on Van Helsing if he needed protecting. If she went ahead with showing them to the castle, then perhaps Draculea would defend himself staunchly and be able to set the records straight with both Anna and Van. Miruna was incredibly intelligent without a doubt, but again still quite a naive little girl on the whole. She looked up at the three in front of her and nodded sharply.

"Then I will show you to Castle Draculea.", she replied quickly. "You must keep your promise."

"I haven't broken my word to you yet, little girl.", Van reasoned. Miruna frowned at him calling her this again. It only re-emphasized that Draculea was the only person that saw her as a mature young lady. She sighed and turned to face the entrance of the cemetary.

"We need to get back to the fortress, just as Anna said.", Miruna instructed. The three said nothing, but turned and left with Miruna beside Carl and Anna. Miruna looked over at Anna, who seemed very resoloute. "He doesn't want the Valerious dead, Anna. He never has."

Anna turned and looked at her cousin with a twinge of anger. It couldn't have been Miruna's fault that she was thinking and feeling such nonsense for the monster. After all, Anna herself had recently been bewitched into kissing him passionately! If she, a hardened warrior, found it difficult to resist the cad, then Miruna would be far less likely to resist his advances on her mind. She sighed and put a hand comfortingly on Miruna's shoulder. Miruna had been somewhat of an outcast with little friendly contact among her family or people as a young child. Anna thought it cruel, but the dark times in which Miruna was born saw a great need to be tremendously cautious about anyone aiding the evil of the count. She wished that she could have gone back in time and had a closer friendship with her cousin, Miruna seemed to be the epitome of a 'good hearted' person. Van led the way back to some waiting horses and then started back towards Vaseria. Miruna breathed heavily, feeling something heavy over her chest. She was coughing and sneezing more and more as they traveled into the harsh Romanian autumn. Anna looked back at her in concern every now and then, so did Van. As mean and solitary as Van was, he felt concern and pity for Miruna. She really felt connected to this evil and would probably mourn him. She also seemed to be enduring quite a bit physically from this ordeal. The group arrived in the small village much faster than the carraige had arrived in Budapest. They hurried into the fortress. Van had ordered Carl to calculate how long it would take Draculea to reach Transylvania after traveling by boat, which is where they had lost him and Adam. Carl told the group that by his calculations, they could afford one day to rest and make plans before going after him. He told Anna and Van that he would need to relate the story of Draculea's origin to them in private that afternoon. As he was whispering this to them, Miruna burst into another coughing fit. She had been seated on one of the comfortable arm chairs several feet away from them. She seemed to be terribly exhausted from the journey and wasn't even fussing about hearing what they were saying. Van looked at her sadly. He silently said a bittersweet prayer of thanks for not being plagued by memories of a loved one's death. Was that really worse than being void of all precious memories whatsoever? He watched Miruna shudder, coughing as she read through a tattered old book. Anna stood to walk over to her and take her up to her room. Van put a hand on Anna's arm and motioned for her to stay put. She looked at him inquisitively as he approached Miruna. Miruna finished wheezing and composed herself before even noticing him.

"Did you get sick while you were with the vampires the first night you were here?", he asked leaning down to look at her more closely. Miruna stared back at him and shifted defensively.

"I've got a chill from being out in that cemetary with no protection.", she shot back. He frowned and looked deeply at her. She gasped and began to cough loudly again, interrupted by one forceful sneeze. "Carl says we have a day to gather our strength. I'm going to find out how to undo Draculea's evil. Tata's journal says that he must be redeemed, but it doesn't say how to do it. Since he's not a normal soul, I suppose it will take some kind of incantation to do so."

"Is that his journal?", Van asked. Miruna glared up at him. She knew all too well that Van had a keen memory and would have remembered Miruna commenting on the journal holding the secrets to destroying Draculea. He smiled a little. "Because if it is, the no one else aside from him should be reading it. You can return it when we take you home."

"Until then, he is my tata and I have privelege to read it.", Miruna stated proudly and began to read once more. Van sighed heavily and took hold of both of her hands. He moved them together so that she closed the book herself. She looked back at him angrily. Her anger was put aside for a moment as she sneezed loudly and then began to shake slightly.

"Come on, I know quite a bit about healing. We can get rid of that chill in a matter of hours. Then you can show us the way into his castle.", Van offered. Miruna stared at him suspiciously. He frowned. "I'm sorry for being cruel to you. I'm not used to dealing with innocents who feel pity for the monsters I hunt instead of wanting to worship them or give birth to their demon progeny. You're unusual. That's somewhat of a good thing."

"What would you do for me, then, if you know so much about medicine?", Miruna demanded as she shifted the conversation from him trying to smoothe over the mistake he had made in attacking her like that. He gave a half-smile in realizing that as innocent as she was, she wasn't going to be swayed by his impromptu kindness. He would simply have to deal with her as he had been forced to deal with so many other human obstacles.

"There's a hot infusion that was given to me by some eastern holy men. It contains roots like ginger, ginko, and valerian; as well as other leaves and flowers. It isn't the most pleasant thing to swallow, but it cures even the most severe chills in a matter of hours.", he explained. "A few hours is all we have, so I suggest you take it and lie down until the rest of us have our planning done."

"Remember your promise, Van Helsing.", Miruna warned. He chuckled and took the book carefully out of her hands and set it to the side. He lifted her off of the couch and led her towards the door. He turned back to Carl.

"Get me some hot water and a pouch of the _xiang-cha_.", Van ordered. Carl nodded quickly and went to see about the water first and foremost. Van looked at Anna for a moment and then nodded towards the couch. Anna stared back at him in confusion for a moment, then walked over to where Miruna had been seated. She picked up the journal carefully as the two left the room. Anna flipped through the pages in astonishment. There were several facts about the Valerious that she had yet to discover, but those took second place to what she was sure Van Helsing needed to know. She came to the passage that would be most helpful and smiled brightly.

"Today is the four-hundred and tenth year after the murder of Prince Draculea. ...I have found a way to destroy him!"

While Van Helsing soothed Miruna into a sound, drug induced sleep, Anna gathered all the facts they would need to enter the mirror in the armoury and destroy Draculea once and for all!


	8. Redemption of One, Loss of Another

Chapter8: The Redemption of One, the Loss of Another

Miruna awoke from a dreamless sleep a few hours later. She groaned and sat up, holding her forehead in pain. She looked around, trying to get a sense of where she was. The rush of memories as to what had transpired these past few days ripped through her head all at once. She groaned and gripped her head tighter. She called for Anna and waited. After a few moments, there was no reply. Miruna stood carefully and called to her cousin a little louder. There was still no reply. She gasped at the thought that they had hypnotized her and taken the knowledge she had of the prince's whereabouts. Even worse, she knew exactly how to kill him and the answer flowed in Van Helsing's veins. She cried out slightly and rushed down the stairs to see if she had been right. The fortress was abandoned save the few servants that worked there. Miruna ignored their inquiries to her health and mood and ran into the armoury. Her heart sank lower than the floor. The enormous map of Transylvania had become a mirror similar to the one in the parlour that he had used to transport her home once before. That alone was not what caused the horriffied expression on her face. On the floor, tossed to the side, was her father's precious journal. She screamed and took hold of it. How could they ! He promised! Anna should have known better, she was a Valerious and thereby related directly to the prince!

Miruna fought back a useless fit of rage and simply ran through the mirror. Several days ago, the thought of mirrors as doorways and a vampire being a kindhearted person would have been cause to put someone away to Miruna, but now they were essential pieces of the puzzle she was slowly solving. She felt a burst of icy air take hold of her and stop her breath for a moment. She gasped and shook free of the cold's grip. She opened her eyes and observed her surroundings. Before her was a fearsome looking castle. The walkway towards it was lined with pikes displaying human skeletons. Miruna groaned and found the courage to move forward. She reminded herself that the evils the prince had committed were done out of defense of his life or fear for it. She frowned at thinking he had been attacked so many times by all of these people who had been fed hateful lies about him. She had read a few of them in her father's journal as well as the truth of them. She hurried into the castle and tried to push the heavy doors open. The enormous panels of wood and metal wouldn't budge an inch. She grunted in frustration and then heard a chilling sound. An inhuman shriek. It had to have been Draculea, and there was no telling what Van Helsing would do to him once he had hold of him.

She grunted again and took hold of the side of the door facing. Once she was sure she had a good hold on it and that there were several more going up towards the open section of the entrance, she drew in a deep breath and pulled herself up. She climbed as quickly and carefully as she could crying out every now and then as a shard of stone or ice cut her delicate palms and fingers. By the time Miruna was up to the opening, her hands were covered in gashes. Not anything serious by a surgeon's standard, but enough to cause severe pain to the poor girl. She ignored it, allowing the thorbbing of her skin getting warm once more to take priority as far as her limbs were concerned. She looked around at the inside of the castle trying to decide how best to get down onto the floor. Beside the door was a large box filled with gears and sprockets connected to cables that connected to brass circles on the doors. She noticed that there was a large rope next to her that might have been used to pull for the gears that opened the doors. The prince seemed to have been very interested in newer technologies. The system was obviously installed years after the castle had been built. She grabbed hold of the rope, forgetting the injuries on her hands for a second and then being violently reminded of them. She tried to hold tightly to it as she climbed down the wall, but fell without a good hold on the rope for several feet. Luckily, she had the opportunity to grab the rope once more and steady herself. She smiled. She allowed herself to fall a few more feet, then grabbed the rope again. She did so until she made it to the ground safely. She avoided as much pain doing it this way, or so she had thought, but the gashes were now aggrivated a great deal.

She breathed sharply and ran past the torchieres in the main hall towards the staircases. The castle split into three hallways on the main floor and then four staircases. Two obviously led to the towers, they were much narrower and less kept than the others. She moved to one of them and listened closely. She could hear the same fizzing and small explosions that she had heard at the castle where she had been taken by the females some nights ago. She breathed deeply and headed up the long set of stairs towards the sounds. She stopped dead every now and then hearing someone cry out that sounded exactly like Adam. She could also hear Van Helsing shouting faintly. Mostly, she heard Draculea shouting orders to his servants and talking excitedly about giving life to his children. Miruna felt warm tears beginning to stream uncontrollably down her cheeks. The prince had been slightly dishonest with her in the cemetary. She had realized this after looking through her father's journal and reading the history of the prince's life according to a conversation with her father and mother many years ago. Her mother had actually needed to comfort him during the cleansing visit when he had regaled all of what he had been forced to endure. The man that had killed him had done so in the name of some unhappy knights of the order to which he had dedicated his life. The knights had been ordered to only marry from a certain family and class. The prince had fallen in love with a most lovely Italian gypsy princess named 'Verona'. He himself had been half gypsy, but the knights were willing to look past that due to the fact he was an extremely brave and efficient warrior. They were not willing to overlook his union to a filthy commoner. The passage had made Miruna furious enough, but caused her to weep aloud when she read that Verona had been with child when she had been murdered by the selfsame man. Draculea wanted desperately to have the child that had been stolen from him and his beautiful wife. She hoped that the man was long dead and the prince could be at peace on that level at the least. She inched closer to the tower itself. She kept slipping and falling back several steps. It was as if she would take five steps forward and then slip back three. She growled in anger and climbed hurriedly up the rest of the stairs as best she could. By the time she was halfway there, she could hear Draculea speaking loudly to Van Helsing, and then a most horrible set of noises. Van Helsing began howling in pain and growling madly. Then, his howls turned into the snarling and roaring of the werewolf!

Miruna screamed instinctively at the sound. Memories and sharp twinges of fear began to flash into her mind at this sound. She forced her fears to the side as she heard Draculea begin to snarl and roar in defense of his own life. She had to subdue Van Helsing long enough for Draculea to get away and fetch the cure. She raced into the tower room and gasped at the devices that fizzled and sparked with unnatural life. Flames and water were scattered around the room in different places, as were chunks of broken glass, wood, and twisted metal. Miruna watched as Draculea and Van Helsing continued to fight. She tried to get a little closer and throw a large wooden shaft at Van Helsing's head. She made it to the walkway that lay over a large vat of boiling, green fluid. Miruna wasn't sure what the substance was, but it didn't look like anything she should be near. She looked up at the stairs that led to the walkway. Near the planks themselves was a large capaciter glowing with energy. Draculea suddenly tried to take flight. Miruna winced as he flew right into the spinning capaciter and screamed in pain. He transmorphed back into his human form and breathed harshly, trying to keep a good eye on his enemy. He rolled over, still reeling from the horrible injury.

Miruna looked towards the pillar nearest her. Van Helsing ran his razor-like claws against the stone, causing sparks of his own as the cut nasty gashes in the stone. She cried out and fell backwards at remembering claws like those tearing into her as a child, at the creature mercilessly tearing into her mother. Van turned around, distracted for a moment. He sniffed at her and growled low. He began to advance towards her, slowly. Miruna shrieked and tried to stand and move away, but found that her skirts had caught on some of the debris. She screamed in frustration and pulled at them furiously. Van Helsing moved closer and closer, snarling and growling menacingly. Just as he was two feet away from the helpless girl, she felt two strong hands take hold of her shoulders and lift her out of the way. Her skirts tore on the debris, but remained attached to her person in tattered shreds. She breathed a sigh of relief and tried to get free of whomever was holding her. The rescuer set her down behind another pillar. It was Draculea. Miruna guessed as much, but it was wonderful to be proven to her. She threw her arms around him and held onto him tightly, crying.

"I'm so sorry! I know what's happened to you! Come on, we can get away!", she shouted trying to take his hand. He looked at her for a moment, readying to protest, then turned back towards the rest of the room as Van Helsing let out a blood-curdling howl. "You have to hurry, come on!"

He smiled for a moment and then rushed away from her. He flew at Van Helsing, clawing furiously. He knew for a fact that he couldn't leave Van Helsing like this. He had shown himself to be more bloodthirsty than any of the other werewolves who would at least listen to the count. Van didn't have an ounce of humanity left in him while in this form, no sense or reason, no ability to follow orders and no ability to restrain himself. Draculea knew that the only way to end this was to render him completely incapacitated and then go for the cure. If he could get to the cure before the final stroke of midnight and have injected it into him, then he could finally have it out with the man that had caused him so much suffering. The only other option would be, after that plan failed, to take Miruna and escape to come back later with a silver dagger and a purpose. He flew at Van Helsing angrily, rolling on the floor for a moment, biting at him. He finally made it back to his feet and threw a solid punch into the werewolf and kicked him harshly. Miruna shrieked and then covered her mouth. If she distracted the prince, then he would be vulnerable. Why didn't he just take her and escape? She watched as the two fought their way to the platform once more. Van Helsing held Draculea by the throat, simply strangling him cruelly. Suddenly, Van's form began to shrink and the fur on his body began to melt away. He let go of Draculea and leapt to the floor on the opposite side of Miruna. She watched as Draculea composed himself, touching a wound on his neck from the wolfman's claws gingerly. He smiled to himself noticing the moon behind the clouds. Miruna looked towards the window, seeing the same thing.

"Did I mention that it was you who murdered me, Gabriel Van Helsing? In the name of God and country you killed me, and Verona, and our daughter!", he yelled down to the aggrivated man. Van began to back away. Draculea swooped down behind Van and looked angrily at him. "Don't you remember, my friend? How did you say it, 'The council has spoken. I act in the name of justice.' Weren't those your words before you slit my throat and took my signet. I myself found it difficult to recall at first since the memory of your speech mingled with my holding my beloved's body mourning!"

"I have no memories, you monster! I realize that I owe that to you!", Van Helsing shot back.

"I would not have been that kind, you fool!", Draculea retorted. "Now, shall I give you your memories and undo the small sin I am accused of against you?"

"Some things are best left forgotten!", Van Helsing cried and knelt forward. He transmorphed once more, catching Draculea completely off guard. Miruna screamed loudly as Van Helsing bit viciously into the vampire's throat. Draculea shrieked and began to writhe in anguish. His body began to dissintegrate to ash and soon left nothing but a sad pile of darkness on the floor. Miruna screamed repeatedly. Van Helsing turned towards her. He moved to try and attack her. She turned and began to run towards the exit. As she came closer to the stairwell, her cousin ran into the room holding an enormous syringe. Miruna skidded to a halt. Anna looked at her and smiled.

"Stay back, I have the cure!", Anna yelled and ran for Van Helsing. She plunged the syringe into his abdomen as he threw her madly onto a day-couch by the large window in the corner of the room. Miruna screamed again. Carl appeared in the doorway a moment later behind Miruna, who stood frozen. Carl pushed past her and took out a silver stake.

"God forgive me!", he shouted.

"Carl, no!", Miruna cried. Carl turned to her for a moment as Van Helsing grabbed his wrist and held the stake aloft and unmoving. He roared angrily at the little friar. Miruna wondered why the seerum hadn't taken effect yet. Van reached down with the other paw and removed the rest of the syringe. Miruna looked at the couch where Anna lay. She fell to her knees and began to sob loudly. Carl looked up at Van Helsing who now looked back at the maiden sadly.

"She's dead.", Carl muttered. Van Helsing scooped the girl's lifeless form into his arms and held her in front of him as he let out a long and powerful howl. The howl gave way to a most tormented scream as the seerum caused him to transmorph back permanently. He held Anna to him and rocked her for a moment.

"Anna. Anna, wake up!", he shouted. Miruna looked up at him, through relentless tears.

"She's dead, Van Helsing! You killed her!", she cried loudly. She walked over to the two and tried to take hold of her cousin's body, forcing him away. He threw Miruna backwards several feet and looked at her furiously.

"She's stunned! She's alright, you'll see. She just needs some air. She's very tired, she must be sleeping. She hasn't slept in days, that's all.", he muttered as he knelt, still holding on to her. Miruna sobbed loudly. What could she do? Draculea was dead and Anna was dead, and now she was alone and wishing she could join them. No, she wished beyond reason that they were still with her! She cried madly. Van Helsing stood up, keeping a good hold on Anna. He turned to Carl. "Let's get back to the fortress. The journal says we can leave through any mirror in this castle. Bring Miruna."

Carl nodded and took Miruna by the shoulders gently. She began to fight with him angrily, screaming at him to leave her alone. She turned back to the pile of ash for a moment. How could this have happened!? What didn't she do right? Why couldn't she have arrived a moment earlier? Miruna had been sure after what she had read that someone giving their forgiveness to the prince out loud would redeem him and therefore return his humanity to him. She began to sob louder and curl up on the floor. Carl sighed and picked her up like an infant to carry her back. Van led the way down the stairs and into the main hallway again. They searched a few of the rooms down one hall on the ground level until they found a large bedchamber with a full length mirror. The group walked through it, leaving the evils of castle Draculea behind. Carl put Miruna in her bed and went to check on Anna with Van. She had opened one eye while they had been walking which seemed to be more than a simple muscular spasm. Carl wondered if Van Helsing had been right and Anna was indeed stunned. Even so, enough trauma had been forced on her to assure that she had at the very least a few broken ribs and serious bruises. All of those would need to be seen as quickly as possible. Miruna lay on the bed unmoving. She should never have come to this place. Her conscience slapped her. What's wrong with you?, it chided. You've done a great deal of good whether you realize it or not, it just hasn't been allowed to play out yet. There has to be something more in the journal, something we missed. Miruna pushed away the desperation that had overtaken her and climbed down the stairs towards the armoury. Van and Carl were in some other part of the fortress and weren't going to notice anything she did at the moment. She knelt and picked up the book, looking through the passages she had read a few days ago. She felt her heart leap at one of them and smiled.

"...The choovihni tell me that he can always be resurrected by virgin blood and the spell, 'Blood for blood, breath for breath. Cursed in life, rise in death."

(((Tune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion! Will Miruna succeed in bringing back the dark prince? Is Anna really alive? Has her father been telling the truth all this time? Does anyone still read Van Helsing fanfics? All this and more tomorrow, or late tonight!)))))


	9. The Spell That Binds

Chapter 9: The Spell That Binds

Miruna looked at the corner of the map and smiled. She quoted the phrase proudly. "In the name of God, open this door.", she said firmly. The map morphed once more into a mirror. The small lines of silver that appeared and soon covered the browned map looked like the ice of the fortress covering the earth itself in silent cold. She wondered if that was what had happened to poor Prince Draculea. She sighed and gathered all of her strength and wisdom for the task she would complete. She stopped for a moment. Perhaps she should be a little more prepared to scale the door and then get down again this time. She looked around the armoury for a moment, trying to locate some rope and a large hook. Miruna smiled when she noted something in a case far to the left. It was better than simply a large hook or rope, it was a sterling grappling hook with several feet. It appeared to have enough to scale the castle's entrance and then flip the rope to the other side of the door to climb down. She picked up the heavy hook and rope and struggled to place it over her shoulder to carry it through the mirror. She thought once more of anything else she might need. She remembered that the spell would call for her blood. She looked around quickly for a dagger. The armoury was full to bursting with nasty bits of metal twisted into blades and blunt flails, among them was a marvelous selection of daggers. She chose the closest and headed through the mirror. Even if Van and Carl came after her, they would be at a set back with the doors closed and having no werewolf to claw at the walls to climb it this time.

Miruna passed through the icy portal, feeling as if her skin had ignited with the cold that surrounded her. The mirror itself seemed to be made of ice this time, and she was not feverish either. The full brunt of the cold now hit her. After a moment of this freezing torment, she arrived on the other side. She looked up at the angry sky. It was is if the death of the count had caused this portion of Transylvania mourned and shouted hatefully for the loss of their precious son. Miruna ignored the swirling snow and walked sternly up to the doors. An enormous gust of wind hit her and threw her back a little. Miruna shouted in natural defense and then looked up. One of the doors had opened slightly with the blast of air. She furrowed her brow and studied it. She smiled. When she had climbed down earlier, she had pulled the system to allow the doors to open a little and the wind had simply pushed it the rest of the way for the most part. She walked up to it and pushed it open enough to allow her inside. She hurried down the hallway and up the stairs towards the tower that held the remains of Draculea. Snow had settled over much of the floor where the cieling had geen either opened or torn apart. Luckily, the area where the last attack took place was clear of any of it. She walked over to it slowly, feeling sick sorrow and anger whooshing through her mind. A few feet away from the pillar she now stood beside, was the charred pile that was once the proud noble. Miruna was overcome at this and began to weep loudly as she approached. She knelt by the pile, unable to keep her tears from splashing onto the pile and forming a puddle of her own sadness.

She tried to compose herself as she pulled out the dagger and brought the words back to mind. She went over the words; 'Blood for blood, breath for breath. Cursed in life, rise in death.' She put the dagger to her hand to make a deep slit and stopped. The words stated 'cursed in life' and 'rise in death'. She didn't want his life to be cursed at all, and she certainly didn't want him to rise still dead. A light flashed on in her mind. That was the spell that had cursed him! It wasn't the cure at all! The spell dictated that the life he would rise to would still be in death and would be cursed. She couldn't repeat those words, that would simply start the whole process over again. She couldn't leave him. She loved him. She realized now that in these few short days she had come to know the most powerful kind of love on the planet. Draculea had faced Van Helsing's lycanic form in keeping him away from her, he had faced death. More tears coursed endlessly down the girl's pale cheeks. The pile was quickly becoming an unholy mud pile. She wiped her eyes again and breathed deeply.

The use of blood was common in Romani spells, that was doubtless. The use of breath in the processes of life was also undeniable. The words were what needed to change. Miruna thought about this for a moment and took a deep breath in pushing back her desperate tears. She made the large, painful cut over one of the wounds she had recieved earlier in scaling the castle doors. She shouted madly in pain and clenched her fist as the dagger left it. She opened her eyes and gasped three times, trying to relieve the horrendous pain so that she could complete the spell. She felt her strength boiling within her and she reached for the pile of mud and ash. She scooped a small amount of it into bot hands, rubbing it on the wound and carressing it gently in her palms.

"Blood for blood.", she began in a soft whisper. She leaned forward and exhaled slowly onto the mixture. "Breath for breath.", she continued. The mixture in her hands became very warm and began to pulse. She smiled brightly. "Renew his life, rise from death.", she stated in as happy a tone as she could manage. The mixture pulsed madly and began to feel hot. Miruna frowned. The black substance began to creep over both her hands and drip all around them, even reaching up to a few of the cuts on her forearms. She screamed and threw both hands into the air. The substance crept down her arms and onto her chest, mimicking the beat of her own racing heart as it dripped to the floor. Miruna stood and backed away a little as the creeping mixture slithered over to a clean set of stones and then began to drip through the cracks in the stones. The stones cracked and hissed a little. Miruna gasped and ran over to them. She dropped to her knees and began to look through the cracks desperately. A chill suddenly floated through the room.

"Master...", a voice whispered. Miruna perked up. It was his voice! She smiled and began to call loudly through the cracks.

"Prince Draculea! I am here! Come back to me!", she cried. Perhaps the spell worked like so many resurrection spells from mythology, he would rise to live at her command. It was something for him, even if he didn't have freedom, besides it was she alone that wanted him alive at the moment. She looked through the cracks frantically. She frowned. She tried to remember his first name, perhaps that was what he needed to hear. Vladimir, Nicklaus, Vladi...Vladislaus! The memory of one of the passages in her father's journal came clear to her. She leaned closer to the cracks and called even louder. "Vladislaus! Valdislaus, I am here! Come back to me!"

"Master. I am here, master.", his voice whispered.

"Where? Where are you, Prince Vladislaus?", she asked desperately.

"I am here master. Forgive me.", he whispered sadly. Miruna felt her heart wrench in sorrow and anger. Why wasn't he appearing to her? Where was he and what did she need to do to summon him. She continued to cry for him for several minutes, but his voice didn't speak again. Miruna felt the tears coming back at a greater intensity. Miruna laid down on the floor, sobbing wildly. She curled up into a small fetal ball and wept unconsolably. She felt such horrible pain in her heart. She hadn't known Vladislaus for very long at all, but she felt so strongly for him. She had loved him. It was unclear to her at the moment whether it was the small amount of love in pity, the love of a friend, the love of a sister, the love of a daughter, or the love of a bride. Her mind cruelly played these options over and over in her mind. By the end of a few moments she felt as miserable as a young woman who had lost her brother, father, and husband all at once. Her spirit burned with terrible emotion, and how she wished to be void of it. Miruna continued to cry for hours. She was too engulfed in her mourning to notice when someone walked up behind her. In fact, three persons had walked up behind her. One of them knelt and picked her up, holding onto her tightly.

"Such a silly thing. Crying for someone who isn't dead.", a familiar woman said. Miruna looked up. Her heart leapt with a mild amount of joy.

"Anna.", she cried hoarsely. Anna smiled and pulled her cousin to her happily. Miruna clutched her cousin's shoulders and sobbed loudly. "I let him die, Anna. I couldn't redeem him."

"It was never your place to redeem him, Miruna. He is at peace now.", Anna said trying to reassure her young cousin. She stood, still holding onto her as if she would fade without the touch of another human being. Anna turned to the other two that had followed her. Van Helsing and Carl stood behind them. Van stepped forward and looked at Miruna sadly. In her eyes, he could see the pain that every one of his sins had ever wrought. He walked over to the stones that were cracked and stained with the remnants of the count's ashes. He knelt and removed his hat. He took out a small wooden cross with a sprig of wolf''s bane from the kitchen garden. He sighed and laid them in the centre and crossed himself slowly.

"Requeis gatem pache.", he whispered and stroked the plant thoughtfully. He stood and put his hat back on and looked directly at Miruna. "God has forgiven him. He will be at peace, now. I ask that you do the same for me." Miruna stared at him hatefully. She felt more tears stinging as they slid down her cheeks. She turned away from him. He frowned and sighed. "Let's go back. We can take you back to Bucharest."

"I'm not going back to Bucharest.", Miruna stated. "I belong here. Hidden from the lies of my family, hidden from the unhappy future they had planned for me.", she said sadly. She looked up at Anna. A look of something that resembled relief crossed her face. "I have all the family I need here."

Anna smiled. "There is an empty castle that belonged to the family. Cleaned up it will make you a fine home and bring work to a few villagers. I will help with that.", she said. "I don't know that you ever saw Castle Frankenstein, but it will be your new home."

"Then it is no longer Castle Frankenstein.", Miruna sighed. "It is Castle Draculea. At least his name will be with me."

Anna sighed and shook her head. She led her cousin away from the stones gently. Miruna resisted at first, but she was exhausted both physically and emotionally. She followed the trio meekly. She turned back and looked at the sad remains of her prince once more. She had done all she could, but at least he was not suffering as nosferatu anymore.

In the next few months, Miruna and Anna set up a wonderful household in the old Castle Frankenstein, the new Castle Draculea. Anna sent for all of the lavish comforts that Miruna would need in the oversized stone structure. Then, servants and so on were selected and the stables were filled. Miruna sent word to her father that she was needed in Transylvania and that she had assumed a place of power in the Carpathians. She also warned him to the fact that if he came to take her without her permission back to Bucharest, then the gypsies that remained alive here, Anna included, would be brought to remembrance of the fact that he had aided Draculea and prevented them from ending his evil. She still cried at writing his name, saying his name and title, or seeing visualizing his face and hearing his voice in her dreams. The pain was so strong. After a year, she wondered if the pain was ever going to stop. Tomorrow would be the anniversary of Velkan's death. Miruna was called to the greeting foyer by her head butler to greet a guest. Miruna left her reading and walked to the room. Anna often called on her, their visits were pleasant enough. She looked up at the guest. It wasn't Anna. She felt a twinge of surprise and hurt at seeing the man standing in front of her.

"Miruna.", Van Helsing said softly. Miruna took a small step backwards. He removed his hat and bowed to her. "I am glad to see you are well, my lady."

"Thank you, Van Helsing.", she replied emotionlessly. "To what do we owe your visit?"

He placed his hat back on his head and cleared his throat. "After everything that happened, there is still something you didn't get to see. Something you were never at peace with.", he explained. "I have come to take you to it and try to gain your forgiveness."

Miruna sighed and shook her head. "I hold no sin against any man, Van Helsing. Emnity, perhaps, but not sin or hatred.", she said softly. "But I will go with you. Is it far?"

"It is just outside Budapest.", he said. Miruna stiffened. That was where Velkan had been killed. Van Helsing noticed the horror and shock in her eyes and moved forward a little. "Yes, I want to show you where he was buried. It will be good for you and Anna to see where he is resting."

"I would hope for your sake that my cousin rests in the arms of God!", Miruna shouted angrily at him. He took several steps back and gulped. Miruna felt the sadness and rage she had allowed to linger in her life ebb slightly. She looked down. "Is Anna waiting outside for us?"

"Yes. Are you coming with us?", he asked.

"Yes to both.", Miruna said as she walked towards him calling to the servants for her cloak. Van looked at her inquisitively.

"Both what?", he said.

"Requests. I will go with you.", Miruna said as she pulled on the cloak and walked over to him. "And I forgive you."

He smiled and allowed a few tears of his own to stream down his face. Miruna walked past him and out the front doors. Van followed, feeling more relief than he had in years.

The group consisted of Van, Anna, Miruna, and Carl still tagging along. Apparently the incident here in Transylvania made him want to see Van's equipment in action full time. Miruna rode emotionlessly at the back. Carl rode a little slower to stay almost beside her. He truly pitied the poor girl. She had thought she was truly in love with Draculea and was pining for him as well as her normal life that had been ripped from her. Then again, from what the group understood she didn't lead too much of a normal life in Bucharest with all the nightmares and her secretive father. The four arrived after a day of travel, in the forest where Velkan had died. Van led them into a large circling of trees. Miruna gasped. In the centre of the ring was a pile of stones. On each of the trees was an epitaph in Greek, Latin, Castillian, Italian, French, Romanian, and Romany. The epitaph read;

"Here lies Velkan Vrishen Valerious. He lived as a devoted Christian, loving brother and son; he died as the same. When you stand in this circle, may you feel the strength and conviction that this prince put into all of his life. Those who mourn him will find peace as his spirit dwells here among the trees."

Anna began to cry and walked over to the stones. She knelt and laid her hands on the stones, weeping loudly for her brother. Miruna looked up at Van Helsing through her eternal torrent of tears.

"This was not all done the night that Velkan died. It couldn't have been.", she whispered as she began to cry a little louder.

"No. I came back every month and added to his memorial. I wish that I could have saved his life, not tended his grave.", Van sad trailing off on the last few words. Miruna looked up and noticed that the hunter had tears in his eyes as well. They streamed down despite his efforts to prevent it. Miruna threw her arms around him and sobbed, allowing him to forget his sorrowing by comforting her. Miruna knew well that men did best in dealing with sorrow or anger if they were given something to fix. He held onto her and watched Anna sadly. He sighed and clutched Miruna to him as if she were the only thing on earth that could offer him warmth. As Miruna felt all of the sorrow finally leaving her, and the tears that had plagued her for a year and a day end, she began to hear a strange noise. It was too faint to make out at first, but after a moment it became clear. Clear, familiar, and frightening; the noise was the voice of comfort and pain all at once.

"Miruna.", Vladislaus whispered loudly. Everyone jumped and looked around. Miruna lifted her head. "Miruna, come home. Come home to me." No one except Miruna heard the last phrase. Miruna pulled away from Van Helsing, ran to her horse, leapt on its back, and then rode madly back to her castle. The wind whipped past her. She didn't know whethere to smile at this point or to begin lamenting again. Instead she made her face void of all emotions save for determination. The last piece of this tradgedy was about to be laid to rest.


	10. Through A Glass Darkly

Chapter 10: Through A Glass Darkly

Miruna raced back to her castle with Anna and the rest a confused few feet behind her. Miruna breathed several desperate prayers as she rode hard and fast through the forests and back into the snowy mountain regions. Her lungs began to ache at breathing the cold air so harshly as she rode. She ignored the pain and simply closed her mouth to breathe heavily. She tried to calm herself on the only night she would need to stop and rest. Miruna found that she couldn't stop thinking about the possibilities she was going home to and the excitement that ensued. She threw the covers of the makeshift bed off of herself and left the tent. She climbed onto her horse and spurred it into action, bareback. Miruna was barely used to riding a horse with a saddle, but the determination that burned brightly within her kept her perfectly balanced on the animal as the pursued her hopes. Van had ordered that Anna and Carl stay behind while he went on after Miruna. There were no arguments from the tired and frozen couple left in the tent. Miruna arrived back at her castle with her horse gasping for breath and shuddering from the cold. She leapt from him and shouted to two of the stablehands to come and tend to him. Van Helsing rode up a moment later, helping the boy take the horses into the stables and care for them. Miruna ran up to her front door and forced it open. She ran into the foyer and towards the stairs that led to her study. She was stopped by her head butler once more. He bowed. Miruna stood frozen with her heart racing furiously inside her. He stared at her for a moment.

'My lady, you have a guest upstairs in the private parlour.", he stated. She looked at him happily.

"A man or a woman?", she asked excitedly.

"I am not sure, my lady. They were quite covered and quiet. They simply insisted on meeting with you in front of the largest mirror. I sent them up to the private parlour with the enormous mirror and the tea-table.", he explained. "I have sent tea up for them if you wish to go ahead to join them."

Miruna pushed past him. It was true, it had to be! Draculea was still alive and her spell had worked! It had taken a year, but it had worked! She ran up the stairs as Van Helsing entered the castle and followed slowly. She hurried into the parlour, fighting with the old doorknob for a moment and cursing it. She finally wrenched the door open and burst into the room. She ran inside and held her arms out.

"Prince Valdislaus!", she cried happily and waited. Her heart sank. The room was empty. There was no one there. Once her heart hit the floor, she sank slowly behind it and felt it begin to shatter into millions of shards. Tears flooded her eyes. She put her hands up to her face and wept madly. Something jarred her out of it. The clink of metal against porcelain. She looked up. There was no one else in the room, wasn't there? She looked around closely. She saw that tea had been poured into one of the cups and a spoon sat within the rim. She walked slowly over to it. She reached for it carefully.

"How rude, Miruna. Your cup is over there.", a familiar voice stated playfully. Miruna felt her heart jump in surprise and frustration. It was Vladislaus's voice, no doubt, but where was he? She looked around frantically. "Why are you mourning still, Miruna? It does not become you. Just look at how terrible you look."

Miruna looked over at the mirror instinctively. She gasped. The mirror held the reflection of the bewildered girl, but also the reflection of the count sitting in the chair she stood next to. She gasped and took a few steps back. She watched in the mirror as he stood and faced her. She couldn't see anything but his back in the mirror, mocking her with the fact he was just out of her reach. As she stared at it, he moved forward to where he stood over her. She watched the reflection bend, and felt a strong but cold pair of hands take hers. She shuddered at the touch and stood as he lifted her. She looked up directly in front of her in fear.

"What, what's happening? Are you a ghost?", she stammered. He chuckled softly and placed his hands on the backs of her shoulders.

"Not quite, but then, not quite human either. I am good with that, yes?" She noticed the the side of his face in the mirror. He reached down and took both her wrists, looking at the scar of the wound she had used to revive him. She felt the chill of his fingers rake accross her skin at the scar. "Such a small and selfless gift for one so unworthy. That is what redeems us all, is it not? Not that you are a messiah, by any means. But I argued with the almighty that you were an angel."

She stared up at him. "You saw the Lord?"

"Who else would I call master, Miruna? Was I not a knight in the holy order of the dragon for many years?", he explained. "I have been sent back with a purpose, just as Gabriel was so many years ago. That is what happened, you see. I had mortally wounded him as he killed me. On the other side, he was given the task of redeeming me. He failed miserably. Now, I have been sent to redeem him. Even those with the purest intentions can stray in a great way, Miruna.", he said touching her chin. She shivered. "Remember that."

"Why can't I see you?", she said beginning to cry a little. He chuckled again.

"I do not yet have warmth within me. I need you for this, my dear.", he said softly. She felt him pull her flush to him and hold tightly to her. "There is a reason that all fairytales end with a kiss of life; they are most powerful, kisses. They show the most tender kind of affection. I will need that, Miruna."

Miruna smiled slightly and said nothing else as she reached up directly in front of her, guessing at the position of his mouth. She leaned up and pressed her warm, soft lips into his. She met them with an electric flash and felt a strange sensation. Warmth began to course from her lips and cover him, first his face became warmer than it had been in centuries. Miruna reached up and put her hands to the sides of his face as the kiss deepened. Warmth flowed down his neck and over his shoulders into the rest of his body. After a few moments of pure ecstasy, she pulled away and opened her eyes, looking over at the mirror. He was staring down at her lovingly in the reflection. He reached over and took her chin in his hand, turning her to face him. Miruna gasped as she faced forward, looking directly into his bright blue eyes. She cried out in joy and embraced him tightly. She looked up at him as they met in one more kiss. This one lasted for minutes, wiping away the years of sorrow and fury that he had endured. Miruna breathed deeply as they pulled away once more.

"What are you going to do now?", she asked.

"Well, I can't very well let go of that which has been so strong and kind in my name, can I? I need you beside me , Miruna. As my bride. I have felt such colours of love for you over the years of your life. Now, I wish to feel the love of you as your husband.", he whispered. She smiled and leaned into him. He inhaled softly, absorbing the beauty and tenderness that stood in front of him. "Shall we go and join as one?"

"Of course, my love.", she said smiling. He took her hand and headed towards the door. She turned back once more, looking at the mirror. A small crack started in the corner of the glass and began to spread until it covered the whole surface. The silver shattered and fell to the floor. Miruna felt no surprise or fear at this. Every shadow and reflection had become the reality she had always wanted. She sighed and held tightly to Vladislaus as they left the room. They were about to begin a most unusual and wonderful life. Truth would be their cornerstone and love their contract.


End file.
